


A half remembered life

by zeusfluff



Category: Fringe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-07 00:42:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 27,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8776363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeusfluff/pseuds/zeusfluff
Summary: A face, a laugh, and tender touch from a man I must have known once. Set after episode 3X22.





	1. A surprise I didn't see coming

**Author's Note:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original character.

June 6th, 2011

A face, a laugh, and a tender touch from a man I must have known once. I kept seeing the face of a man who was very familiar to me. His smile was contagious and it was beautiful. He kept saying my name.

 

“Olivia.”

 

Walter came into my line of vision suddenly, and gave me a concerned look. 

 

“Are you alright my dear? You're looking a little pale this morning. Have you eaten any breakfast?”

 

I nodded my head. I was fine. I just needed to get up and walk around a little. As I got up from the desk, I felt like I was falling down. I felt a little dizzy too. Something's not right about this picture. It seems a bit off. Walter caught me just before I hit the floor. 

 

“I'm fine Walter. Just a little dizzy.”

 

Walter continued to give me a concerned look.

 

“No Olivia you are not alright. Now sit down so I can have a look at you.”

 

I didn't protest and had a seat back in my chair behind the desk in the office. The lab had become a kind of sanctuary for me lately, though I don't know exactly why... 

 

“Open your mouth dear. Oh my, you are definitely pregnant.”

 

I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at Walter.

 

“Walter don’t you think your over-reaching just a tad bit? I mean, not like it’s any of your business... How do you know anyways?”

 

My arms stayed crossed and I huffed a little as he gave his explanation. 

 

“I’m not a dentist but, you have pregnancy gingivitis.”

 

I grabbed for my jacket and started to leave the office. I’d deal with this my own way. On my way to my car, I saw him again. The familiar man. He flashed before my eyes like a vision. We were dancing. The tune sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place the song. Who was this man?  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Who would’ve known there was such a thing as Pregnancy gingivitis? I had no idea. I only found out because my doctor told me. She only confirmed what Walter had told me. That would explain why my gums would bleed when I flossed them the last few weeks. How was I going to raise a baby when the world was falling apart? I sat back on my bed and started to cry. If only I could remember the man who keeps showing up out of thin air. I felt a hand on my own, the touch was light, but it was somehow soothing. 

 

“What’s wrong sweetheart? Why are you crying?”

 

I uncovered my face. Huh? What’s going on? 

 

“Why do I recognize you from somewhere? Who are you?”

 

The man only smiled at me and caressed my cheek lightly. I shivered as I listened to his answer.

 

“You know who I am. You just have to think harder.”

 

Before I could come up with an explanation of why I was seeing this mysterious man, he’d disappeared completely. I curled back up on top of my covers on my bed and put the pillows over my head and started to cry again. Everything just felt so empty.

 

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2: A Longing that cannot seem to be Quenched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia continues to see images of Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original one.

Chapter 2: A Longing that cannot seem to be Quenched

 

June 12th, 2011

 

I tossed and turned in bed, my dreams were yet again filled with the man that seemed so familiar to me. This was the fourth night in a row that I’d seen the man in my dreams. Every time he showed up in my dreams, his blue eyes would pierce my own. The kindness in them calmed me. His touch had a way of soothing my soul. I’d never been with any man that could make me feel that I was wanted. I opened up my eyes and curled into myself. A single thought kept repeating itself. I haven’t been with anyone in the last four years or so, so the question remains: who is this baby’s father? The more I thought about it, the more worried I became. My cell began to ring off to the side of the bed somewhere. I blindly reached for it and accidently knocked it onto the floor with a soft thud. I rolled over and reached onto the floor, picking it up. 

 

“Dunham. Yes sir. Another vortex? I can be at the compound in an hour. Is there anything else? Ok, I’ll see you then. Bye.”

 

I put my phone back on the nightstand next to the bed and carefully swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Running a hand through my hair I slowly got on my feet. I went over to my dresser and got a gray dress shirt out. Sliding it over my shoulders I slowly buttoned it up. As I was buttoning up my shirt, I got a whiff of a scent that seemed so familiar. I sniffed the air as I finished putting my pant-suit on. Men’s cologne. There hasn’t been a man in this apartment for quite some time though... The smell was coming from the living room. It was faint, but definitely there. I picked up the blanket hanging over the back of the couch. 

It smelled of the intoxicating substance. As soon as I put the blanket back on the couch, the faint smell disappeared. Shaking my head I grabbed a grapefruit from the fruit bowl, never mind that I didn’t have any way to peel it. I’d just have to do it while Broyles was briefing me on the full situation at hand. An hour seemed to pass by quickly, and I was finally at the compound. Both Walter and Walternate were there, and so were my alternate and Brandon’s alternate. We both gave each other curt nods, and we were civil and tolerant of each other. But that was all we had between us. 

 

“Good you’re here Agent Dunham. There was a Vortex spotted about four miles from here. A group of cattle vanished into thin air. The ground was burnt beyond recognition. There were a couple of witnesses driving their car past the field when they witnessed a bright flash of light. Other than that they say they saw nothing.”

 

I nodded my head and looked him straight in the eye.

 

“Ok, well do you have the names of the two witnesses? I’d like to take their statements, see what they can remember other than what you told me.”

 

Broyles handed me a file with information in it. I quickly flipped through it and then looked back up at Broyles.

 

“Their names are Robert and Kathryn Anderson. And Dunham, be careful when you’re out there. The last thing I need right now is to see my best field agent getting hurt for making some rash judgment call. Especially in your condition.”

 

I nodded my head and started walking away. Envelope in hand, I started walking towards my car. When I was in my car and had my seatbelt on, my eyes wandered to the cup holder where my un-eaten grapefruit lie, calling to me. I needed to start eating other things besides just eating grapefruit alone to keep this baby healthy. I sighed at the thought but knew that there was nothing I could do now... What was done, was done. You can’t change what’s already happened. I needed to eat. So, I dug a few napkins out from the middle storage compartment between the two front seats. Peeling back the tough skin on the grapefruit I bit into the delicate inside skin of the fruit. I made a face, it was sour, but I’d have to make due with what I had available to me at the moment. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I finished off the last slice. My stomach was still growling, and I realized that after I questioned these two witnesses, I’d have to eat a proper breakfast. It didn’t take me long to get to the couple. A few cops were pulled over and speaking to them. They looked very confused. One of the cops knocked on my window as soon as I stopped my car. 

 

“Ma’am we’re going to have to ask you to go around there’s been an accident up ahead.”

 

I pulled out my badge and showed him my credentials. He nodded his head and had me pull over to the side of the road. It was another thirty minutes before the cops finally left. The couple was still sitting outside the car. The wife clearly in some sort of distress. I looked over into the field just next to them. It was burned beyond recognition. I carefully go out of the car and started walking towards them. 

 

“You two must be Robert and Kathryn Anderson. I’m Olivia Dunham with the FBI. I just have a few questions for the both of you.”

 

The wife shivered a little and then shook hands with me. The husband Robert was a little stand-offish but considering the situation they were just in doesn’t surprise me. Giving me a firm hand shake he gave me a nervous smile. 

 

“I can’t exactly explain what we saw Agent Dunham, but we were driving when suddenly there was this bright flash of light. It nearly blinded me. I skid to the side of the road, missing that tree back there. One minute there’s cows in the field next to us, and then the next their gone. What can make animals disappear like that?”

 

I raised my eyebrows and wrote down what he’d just told me on my pad of paper. Shaking my head I spoke.

 

“Well we’re not sure. Is there anything else you can remember Mr. Anderson?”

 

I stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. Gas. I looked around Mrs. Anderson and saw the gas was leaking from their jeep parked at least 100 feet in front of my own truck. I took a deep breath and let it out. 

 

“We need to move now! There’s a gas leak under your car. We need to get as far away from here as possible. It’s going to blow!”

 

I quickly ushered Mr. and Mrs. Anderson towards my truck. Once all three of us were inside I backed up my truck and did a u-turn. I sped as far away as I could. Once I was at least a few miles away I dialed Broyles. The explosion caught both of us off guard. 

 

“Dunham what was that?”

 

I cleared my throat and kept my eyes on the road trying to avert my eyes from the fiery explosion behind us. 

 

“It was the Anderson’s car sir. They must have hit a tree because there was gas leaking from the car. It just exploded behind us.”

 

I could hear Broyles concerned voice.

 

“Are you alright Dunham? Is anyone hurt?”

 

Shaking my head I kept my eyes on the road. Video chat came in handy when you were driving, even though you couldn’t really look at it. 

 

“I’m fine sir. We’re all fine. I’m going to drop them off at the Sherriff’s office. Can you meet me there in 10 minutes?”

 

We were at the Sheriff’s office in no time. When we got inside the Sheriff greeted us. 

 

“Agent Dunham. We were expecting you. An Agent Broyles said that you were coming. These two must be Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.”

 

Nodding my head I sat down next to the couple. Ten minutes went by a little faster than I thought and Broyles entered the office. 

 

“Dunham.”

 

I quickly stood up, but he waved me off and told me to sit down.

 

“No need to get up Dunham.”

 

I sat back down as Broyles took a chair and sat across from Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. He gave them a confident nod.

 

“Is there anything else the two of you could tell us? Was there anything strange about the light you saw?”

 

Mrs. Anderson nodded her head. I could tell she was still very frightened.

 

“The light had a strange coloring to it. It looked like the Northern Lights up in Alaska. Is that all? I’d really like to be alone with my husband now. Today has just been very strange...”

 

Broyles and I nodded our heads. Broyles was the first to speak.

 

“We’ll contact you if we have any further questions. We’d like you to stay in town tonight in case we still need to talk. Can you have arrangements made?”

 

Mr. Anderson nodded and gave his wife’s hand a slight squeeze. Broyles and I got up and started heading out the door. 

 

“Dunham, let’s get back to the warehouse. Doctor Bishop and Walternate seem to be working on a plan to fix this mess.”

 

I sighed, if only this were possible under better circumstances. There was bad blood between Walter and Walternate, and it was the same between me and my alternate. We’d just have to work through it. As I got into my truck and turned it on, I felt a slight weight on my shoulder. It was the hand of the man that I keep seeing. His smile was genuine and soft. His eyes held a kind of warmth that seemed to calm me more.

 

“Sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me you were having a baby? Our baby no less?”

 

I was confused, and I knew he wasn’t real. Was he? I looked at him and told him my answer.

 

“Yes I’m pregnant. But I haven’t been with a man in over 4 years. You can’t possibly be real. Can you?”

 

The strange but familiar man only smiled at me and disappeared.

 

“Sure I’m real; you just have to know where to find me.”

 

To Be Continued...


	3. The only one who remembers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia and Peter are reunited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original character.

November 12th, 2011

 

“Dunham we’ve found a man matching the drawing you drew. He was found face down at Reiden Lake. Paramedics got him breathing again and he’s enroute to Boston General. 

They say he was asking for you.”

 

I left in a hurry. I had to get to Boston General. Traffic was a mess. They were unloading him from the ambulance as I was parking my truck. Paramedics tried to stop me from 

getting closer, but the man on the stretcher smiled at me.

“She’s my girlfriend. Let her stay.”

We were inside by then and I stayed by his side, though not exactly sure why. There had to be some sort of connection between the two of us.

“Liv you look good for being 5 months pregnant.”

I blushed at the man’s comment. 

“I wasn’t exactly sure how I knew where to find you, I just came.”

The blue eyed man in front of me smiled once more. I watched cautiously at first as his hand reached and gently caressed my baby belly. I didn’t find it odd or disturbing. It was   
actually comforting. Memories began to flood my mind suddenly. Memories of this man in front of me. Meeting in Iraq. Solving Fringe cases together. Then finally the machine. Peter had disappeared as if he’d never existed. My smile grew.

“Peter, where have you been?”

Peter frowned at me. 

“Somehow I ended up at the bottom of Reiden Lake. Someone must have done this to me. Does Broyles know you’re here?”

I nodded my head yes.

“Yes but no one knows who you are except me.”

He frowned even more.

“How could he not know who I am?”

I shook my head seriously. 

“I have no idea but not even Walter can remember who his own son is.”

Peter got a concerned look on his face.

“I would’ve expected that when he’s 85. Not now. He’s as sharp as a tack.”

I ran a hand through his hair and kissed his forehead. 

“Well you gotta hand it to your father; he’s always trying to find new ways to do things...”

One of the doctor’s looked at me seriously. 

“Olivia, if we allow you to stay with Mr. Bishop I insist you sit down.”

The stern looking doctor got me a chair and I sat down in it. Peter gave me a concerned look and reached for my hand.

“You two are doing fine right? No problems?”

I gave Peter a small smile. But then I frowned. Well no one’s perfect. 

“Well I wouldn’t say no problems exactly... I have been blacking out lately... Two weeks ago I had a seizure and my sister had to take me to the hospital. It’s been kind of a bumpy ride by myself Peter. I’ve been avoiding my doctor for the past month, just cause I didn’t think it was necessary.”

Peter’s eyes widened more and he squeezed my hand. 

“Liv you need to see your doctor. She needs to know about your blackouts. It could be something really serious.”

I shook my head no. I wasn’t leaving his side. Not for anything in the world. If they wanted to examine me, then they’d have to do it right here. 

“Anything they want to do, they can examine me right here. I’m not leaving you Peter. I’ve already had enough heartache to last me one lifetime.”

I closed my eyes when I saw Doctor Elker come into the room. She had a calming effect when she was around me. 

“Olivia you are one tough woman to track down. Doctor Phillips here tells me you were telling your boyfriend about blacking out lately. Now let’s get you into another room and get you checked out.”

I shook my head no and held Peter’s hand. With the other I stroked his forehead, removing the messy brown hair away from it. 

“No. I’m staying right here with Peter. I won’t leave him. Whatever you need to do, do it here.”

Doctor Elker only nodded her head and got another chair, sitting down on front of me. Momentarily I let go of Peter’s hand and set both hands in my lap. I sat quietly as she   
pressed a couple of fingers up against my stomach. 

“Hmm, you don’t quite feel 5 months. And you’re sure your taking all of those pre-natal vitamins I’ve prescribed for you? Supplements? Lots of vitamin D?”

I nodded my head and then gave Doctor Elker a worried look.

“Yes, I’ve been taking everything you gave me. Is my baby going to be small?”

Doctor Elker gave my hand a small squeeze and then continued pressing two fingers up against my stomach.

“Well I’d like to take a sonogram on you and perform an internal exam. This will help ensure that your baby is perfectly healthy.”

I winced at little as her fingers moved a little to the right of my stomach.

“Ouch.”

Doctor Elker gave me an apologetic looked and put her other hand on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry Olivia. Yeah, that’s a bit tender right there isn’t it?”

I nodded my head once more and changed position in the chair. Peter grabbed for my hand. 

“It’s alright sweetheart. Whatever happens I’m there for you. The baby will be just fine.”

Peter squeezed my hand and I nodded, though I never let go of his hand. 

“I don’t want to leave you. I never want to be separated from you again. Peter I probably would’ve died of a broken heart if I’d never figured out who you were and you had actually drowned in Reiden Lake. I kept seeing you everywhere. You were in my dreams. Your cologne was on my blanket on the back of the couch in my apartment. You kept telling me that I knew who you were. But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t quite remember who you were. Until today that is.”  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’d lied to Olivia when I’d said she looked good. Despite her baby belly, she looked incredibly thin, and she looked as if she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in awhile. She’d said   
she didn’t exactly remember where she’d seen me, but she had the strongest feeling she’d seen me before. Olivia was desperate I could tell. Almost afraid even. She tried her best to hold my hand. Finally her doctor convinced her to let me go, only if it was for a few minutes. It was ten minutes or so before she finally came back, a large smile plastered to her face.

“Peter I have surprise for you.”

I gave Olivia a soft smile. Pulling out her phone, I watched as she pushed a few buttons. Turning the screen around, she showed me a black and white picture. My forehead   
creased in confusion momentarily. She had tears in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall.

“This is our baby. Perfectly healthy in every way.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now it was Peter’s turn to get tears in his eyes. He seemed a little surprised at first. He wasn’t exactly sure what to say. But I saw him venture into the obvious.

“So this is our baby?”

I nodded my head and watched as Peter fingered the sonogram on my phone. By now they’d transferred him to a room down the hallway. Peter and I were left alone in the room.   
Climbing into bed next to him, I snaked an arm around his waist. I didn’t want to leave him for anything. Even if the world was falling apart. The sad part about all this right now was this: I was the only one who remembered him. What did that say about everyone else?

To Be Continued...


	4. Adjusting to normal life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own Erica.

November 19th, 2011

I turned over for the fifth time that night. Peter had been home a week, and was noticing my increasing insomnia. I watched as his eyes snapped open. 

 

“Hey, you ok ‘Livia?”

 

Shaking my head no, I carefully hoisted myself into a sitting position, looking around the room disoriented. 

 

“I don’t know Peter. I can’t seem to sleep. I’ve been having the strangest dreams lately. I talked to my doctor and she said it was perfectly normal for pregnant women to have strange dreams regarding her impeding motherhood. Though Doctor Elker said it was normal to have wild and strange dreams, I can’t help but shake the feeling that there’s something wrong.”

 

I felt Peter’s hand go immediately to my back and rub it momentarily. Then his lips gently caressed my baby belly. 

 

“You be good for your mother in there. Daddy only wants the best for you. And grandpa, well he’s a little over the top, but you’ll come to love him.”

 

Walter burst into the room suddenly, his face filled with worry.

 

“Olivia? Are you alright my dear? I heard screams, and they sounded like yours.”

 

I pushed myself up from the bed and stood up. I placed a hand on Walter’s shoulder. 

 

“Walter I’m fine. You were just having a dream is all. The baby and I are both fine. You know if you ever need anything, Peter and I are just down the hallway. Look, I got you some more of those Devil Dog’s you love so much. Maybe if you had one of those, it’ll help you go back to sleep.”

 

Walter’s smile grew and he rushed out of the room like a child and shut the door behind him. Peter pulled my hand and back onto the bed.

 

“Where are you going sweetheart?”

 

If he didn’t let me make a bee-line to the bathroom I was going to pee all over the floor. 

 

“Well, if our baby would quit sitting on my bladder I wouldn’t have to use the bathroom every couple of hours. Besides, I think you should let me go, but if you don’t I’ll probably end up peeing on the floor next to the bed. And you don’t want that. Remember what happened the day before yesterday?”

 

Peter took in a breath and sighed. The last time he’d kept me from using the bathroom, I’d had an accident and he spent a good part of an hour scrubbing the carpet clean. I made a bee-line to the bathroom and shut it. When I came back out I felt much better. When I got back into bed, I noticed Peter had already fallen back asleep. In his sleep he turned on his side towards me and pulled me towards him. His breath against my cheek, I snuggled into him more, his hand went protectively over my swelling abdomen. My mind was finally shutting down, and my eyes slowly closed, going back into the dream world I was intent on avoiding. I was in a long winding hallway, completely white. 

There was no color adorning the walls. I could hear the screams of a woman, but she sounded far away. The distance between us was hard to determine. The closer I got, the louder the screams became. The halls had become narrower and I wasn’t sure where I was going now. A baby’s cry pierced the starched white corridors and then I found myself looking down at my hands, covered in blood. I woke with a start, sweat covering most of my body. I shot up in bed, my hand resting carefully over my swelling abdomen. I was shaking and still looking down at my hands to try and find evidence of the blood I’d seen in my dream. 

 

“Liv, you’re shaking. What’s wrong sweetheart?”

 

I kept looking at my hands, the image of them stained red in my blood. I swallowed and leaned into Peter.

 

“I dreamt I was in a long hallway. The walls were completely white. I heard this woman screaming. I followed it down another winding hallway and as I got closer to her I looked down at my hands and they were covered in blood. My blood Peter. I think it’s a sign.”

 

Peter cupped my face with his palms. Looking for answers I knew he wouldn’t find. I leaned into him and up against the pillows. It was hard trying to calm myself. Peter wiped away one lone tear that fell down my cheek. 

 

“It was just a dream sweetheart. Nothing more. You know I’m here for you every step of the way. You and this baby are the most important things in the world to me. I won’t let anyone or anything touch the two of you.”

 

Suddenly, a sharp stabbing pain ripped through my side causing me to take in a sharp breath and let out a groan in return. Peter’s hands went back up to my face looking for even more answers. 

 

“ ‘Livia, what is it?”

 

I shook my head. It was just a cramp. I got them a lot now, since the baby was leaning on lots of different body parts.  
“It’s nothing Peter. It’s just a cramp. I get them all the time. I get cramping because of the baby. And as embarrassing as this is for me to admit this, I’m constantly constipated all  
the time.”

 

Peter gave me the most pitiful look I’d ever seen. I brushed it off with a shrug. I was lucky I had such a caring boyfriend. Most men that had been in my life, didn’t care as much as Peter does. He’d take a bullet for the both of us. Both the baby and I. My mind began to wander. 

 

“So, how exactly did you get to the bottom of Reiden Lake? The paramedics said they’d found you with water in your lungs. You’re a strong one Peter, I’ll give you that. Can you recall who did this? Any info on the suspect would be helpful.”

 

Peter wiggled his eyebrows at me and smiled his 100 watt smile. Kissing my forehead and rubbing my stomach with his right hand he spoke.

 

“Spoken like a true cop Dunham. The guy was real tall. Black hair, and I’m going to steal your word here, he had freakishly blue eyes. He also had a scar like the one Nick Lane had on the side of his face. He was wearing a big black over coat looked to be between 35 and 40? I’ll try to remember more, my memory’s a bit fuzzy right now.”

 

I nodded my head getting up. We needed to give Walter this information. Peter pulled me back onto the bed. His gaze concerned but firm.

 

“ ‘Livia sweetheart, you need your rest. You haven’t been getting the sleep you need. With this baby coming you’re going to need all the sleep you can get. Rest is as important as nutrition.”

 

I rolled my eyes. Shaking my head I shed my sweats, exposing my underwear. I wasn’t embarrassed about my body. I just didn’t like all the stretch marks I was getting. I slid on a pair of jeans and pulled my nightshirt over my head. My tank top under it was barely able to cover my ever-growing stomach. 

 

“Peter, you’ve been reading my book Nutrition and Sleep Patterns during Pregnancy again haven’t you?”

 

Peter gave me his 100 watt smile once again and tried to pull me into his arms. I looked down at my stomach and traced a pattern that resembled a piece of railroad tie from railroad tracks with my index finger. 

 

“Sure. Why not be more involved in my girlfriend’s pregnancy than reading the same books as she is? I want to know just as much of this we’re going to experience as possible before this baby comes.”

 

I frowned once more as I traced the stretch mark going from the top of my stomach to the middle. 

 

“Since you’re up Peter, would you mind getting me my shea butter? I want to make these stretch marks disappear. You don’t know how frustrating this is for me.”

 

Peter gave something between a snort and a laugh. After putting my shirt on, I put my hands on my hips, pursing my lips. 

 

“I’ll get you your cream sweetheart. But for the books, I think you’re beautiful the way you look. You will always be beautiful to me, no matter what. I’ll be right back.”

 

I sat on the bed and pulled a shirt over my tank-top. I’d have to buy a new bra again. This one’s getting too small. Ok, so I lied, there were two things I didn’t like about being pregnant, one is these annoying stretch marks, and two my breasts just keep getting bigger. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Peter who’d come back into the room with my shea butter. I opened up the circle container and put a dab or two on my fingers, spreading it over the affected area. I was careful around the sore bruised spot on my left side of my stomach. 

 

“I really don’t know how much this butter is helping, because every time I turn around I seem to sprout a new stretch mark in some ungodly place...”

 

Peter smirked at me and I only gave him a dark look, tugging my shirt down over my bulging stomach. 

 

“Oh really?”

 

I nodded my head and pulled my shoes on over my feet. 

 

“Yes, you can get stretch marks just about anywhere... Now why I’m getting them in other places I don’t know. But Doctor Elker said it was perfectly normal, and that they’d go away after the baby was born.”

 

Peter was dressed by now and was helping me up from the bed. It was hard to walk sometimes because of my swollen feet. To think the baby wasn’t that large yet and I was already getting back aches. I was about to knock on Walter’s door when there was a knock on the front door downstairs. Peter became alert and led me down the stairs by the hand.

 

“Who the hell would be knocking on our door at this time of morning? Especially at 3am?”

 

As a precaution I pulled my gun from its holster and kept it by my side. I looked through the look-out hole in the front door and frowned. Opening up the front door I let September in.

 

“I realize that this is a most inconvenient time for my arrival. Walter and the others must remember Peter. The clues are everywhere. Know where to look Olivia. Things will become difficult for the both of you. I have information for you.”

 

September left an envelope on the coffee table and took his leave out the front door. I was hesitant about opening up the envelope on the table as Peter was locking the front door tight. I found my hands were shaking as Peter and I sat down on the couch with the envelope. Peter put his hands on mine to steady them as I carefully opened up the envelope. 

 

“It’s alright sweetheart. I’m right here. Let’s see what’s inside.”

 

Pulling out the information inside the envelope, I found that there were a bunch of photographs inside. Peter and I placed them all out on the table next to each other and looked at each of them carefully. Peter smiled.

 

“These are pictures from when I was a kid. Wait a minute. I don’t recognize these other ones. Your childhood?”

 

I shook my head no and looked at the pictures. They didn’t look familiar to me. The one that interested me was a picture of a little blond girl, I then flipped over the picture and found the date and a name.

 

“Erica Dunham-Bishop. July 16th, 2014.”

 

Both our eyes widened. But what exactly did all this mean anyways? 

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5: Uncertain territory

December 19th, 2011

 

“You ok ‘Livia?”

 

I nodded my head and took a breath. I got nauseous every time the baby kicked. Somehow, I don’t think that’s a good sign. 

“Yeah, it’s just a little morning sickness. It seems like every time the baby kicks me it happens. I don’t know why.”

Peter and I continued to look over the blue prints for the machine, and even though my eyes were on the blue prints, I could feel my alternate staring me down. Her eyes were like fire boring into my skin. I flicked my eyes upwards towards the direction of my alternate.

“You know, instead of just staring at me, you can talk to me you know. I don’t bite, that hard. We’re supposed to be working together on this. You, the secretary, Walter all of you. We’re trying to figure out a way to fix the damage that was already caused.”

My alternate kept looking at Peter, eyeing him carefully, as if she’d seen him before. Déjà vu like I’d experienced. I did my best to hide my bulging stomach from her sight with my heavy wool coat. Taking another deep breath, I straightened my posture and continued to look at the blue prints. It was a sort of time machine. 

“No offense Olivia, but I’m sure the man you are next to I’ve seen before. But I can’t remember where exactly. I had a son, but now he’s gone. Do you know how old he is? My son Henry is 5 months old. He’s with Lincoln in my world. Mom too. Mom was one thing I had and you didn’t. But then again, in this world, you have Rachel and Ella. I don’t. Now, if we work together we can mend the holes in both our worlds. You can go back to your son, and our lives can go back to what they were.”

Somehow I knew that wasn’t true. My alternate could never go back to her world. They were merged now. I think she was finally starting to understand a little bit about what we were talking about. She didn’t know if I was having a boy or not. A girl was what I was having. I’m sure of it. 

“Ok, you can start by looking up any useful info pertaining to the machine. Massive Dynamic has tons of it. I think more than The Secretary ever had.”

Walternate scowled at me when I mentioned how much information we had on the machine. Who knew that at exactly six months pregnant, I’d be trying to keep the peace between our doubles? Walter sat in a corner of the room looking at Peter more confused than ever.

“I-I’m sorry, but I still don’t recognize you. You say you are my son, but I don’t have any proof of that.”

I continued scanning the machine blue prints while Peter pulled a file out from under it. Ripping it open, his eyes quickly went through the pictures he was seeking. Carefully he picked up a photograph of his mother holding him in a hospital bed. He showed both Walternate and Walter the photo, both equally as confused. Walternate was the first to speak up.

“That certainly is me, and that is my wife, but we never had any children.”

Walter gazed at the photo when Peter showed it to him. He seemed so lost these days. It was as if he were missing something very important, and yet he didn’t know what it was exactly. I felt weak on my knees suddenly, like I couldn’t hold my own weight. My legs shaking under me I held onto the table in front of me to keep me upright. Peter noticed, but I brushed it off.

“Peter I’m fine. Let’s keep looking. We may have something that can close these tears in both universes.”

Peter slid a chair in my direction and gently set me down in it. I glared up at him and crossed my arms over my chest, making my wool coat gently draped over my ever growing stomach exposed. My white blouse seemed to be getting tighter by the hour. The machine behind us began to make strange noises as it turned on. My energy suddenly felt as if it were completely drained from me. It was as if something were pulling it away from me. Peter was holding me up now because I was falling out of the chair. My vision was blurry and I could still feel my alternate staring at me. 

“ ‘Livia, what’s the matter? What’s wrong?”

 

Nothing was registering exactly right, and I started to get really scared when the baby was moving less and less. Scared must be projecting to Peter because he could see it in my eyes. 

 

“I think the machine is draining my energy! I think its draining the baby’s energy too because she is moving less and less. Peter please help!”

 

Usually I wasn’t desperate, but my emotions were running high and my thoughts were consumed with the health of my baby. My breath was hitching in my throat and it was getting harder to see, I could no longer speak. 

 

“Somebody call 9-1-1!”

 

I fought to keep my eyes open, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult. The machine kept making strange noises, sounds I’d never heard it make before. The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was a paramedic.

 

“Hold on Agent Dunham. Everything’s going to be ok. Just relax.”

 

When I woke, I could breathe and my mind was clearer than it had been earlier. A weight however was settled into my chest. Peter was next to me and kissed my forehead. 

“Everything’s alright now sweetheart. Just relax. You were right; the machine was draining your energy. The farther we got from it, the better you started to look. Not everything is normal yet. The doctor’s want to keep you here for a few more hours. I thought I’d lost you back there. Walter figures the machine is using reverse polarity and draining your energy from you to contain its power source. He suggests that we keep you away from the machine for the time being just until we can contain it. But it isn’t going to be easy to do that.”

I stretched a little and then looked down to see a nasal cannula in my nose. A fetal heart monitor was wrapped around my stomach. I fingered it gently and listened to our synched heartbeats. Peter handed me a black and white print out, a watery smile on his lips and tears forming at the corners of his eyes. 

“It’s a girl Liv. We’re having a little girl.”

I took a deep breath and fingered the detailed black and white photo. I could barely make out her hands and her feet. I saw two legs and two arms and a head. She looked like she was sucking her thumb. Just then, Erica decided to make herself known.

“Peter feel this.”

I grabbed for Peter’s hand and placed it on the spot on my swelling abdomen where the baby was kicking. His smile grew. 

“That is the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever experienced. Does that hurt at all?”

Shaking my head no, I reveled and basked in the tranquility of my impending motherhood. 

“No. Only when she’s upset and kicking at my ribs. She changes her position a lot. For some reason though, she likes to sleep sideways. With her head on my right side and her feet facing my left. Peter we have to help Walter remember, if he doesn’t Erica will cease to exist.”

To Be Continued...


	6. In and out of phase

I’d been home from the hospital for a few days now, but I wasn’t feeling like myself. Peter was even more protective of me now. I groaned and rolled over. I felt Peter’s hand on my shoulder, but I thought it was nothing but a dream. I groaned again when I felt a cool cloth against my forehead.

 

“Shh sweetheart, it’s alright. I’m here. Relax.”

 

Peter’s voice was very far away. I licked my lips and put a hand on my stomach. Something’s wrong... 

 

“Peter, I don’t feel so good. Something doesn’t feel right.”

 

I didn’t open up my eyes; the light seemed to hurt them. It was as if the light were making my eyes sensitive. I opened up my eyes again and this time the room was quite a bit   
darker.

 

“Tell me what’s going on sweetheart. Does something hurt?”

 

I nodded my head and bit my pillow hard. I kept nodding my head and grabbed for Peter’s hand. 

 

“Yes, it feels like I’m going in and out of phase. Like I’m disappearing. I feel like I’m being ripped apart. Peter I’m scared, the longer I’m like this the more I feel like this baby is gonna come.”

 

I saw Peter’s eyes widen in the dim light of the room. He quickly moved over to the phone and dialed Doctor Elker’s number. The pain was only increasing. I bit the pillow more to stop myself from screaming. Peter kept his hand on mine and held it tightly.

 

“I’m sorry to wake you at such a late hour Doctor Elker, but I was wondering if you could make a house call. Olivia’s not feeling well. She’s got a fever and her pulse is racing. She says she’s worried that if this keeps up, the baby will come.”

 

Peter was off the phone and holding my hand again in no time. I was afraid. I hadn’t been this afraid for a long time. Peter had kept me safe. I started to sob, my sobs shook my body. 

 

“It’s too soon Peter. It’s too soon...”

 

Peter kissed my forehead and pulled me into his arms. I gave a small sigh of relief when Doctor Elker came into the room. 

 

“Doctor Elker, thank god you’re here. Please tell me everything’s going to be alright.”

 

My vision was so blurry I could barely make her out as she took her stethoscope out of her bag along with a Sphygmamometer. The blood pressure cuff momentarily got tighter and I sat still only because my vision wasn’t very good. The pressure was gone and I rubbed my arm, it was throbbing. I felt Doctor Elker place the cold stethoscope onto my stomach. I stayed quiet even though the pain wasn’t manageable. I could see her frown at me and then look at Peter with very concerned eyes.

 

“I don’t like the sound of this baby’s heart rate. Much too high and much too fast for a normally developing fetus. Your blood pressure is through the roof, and you have a fever of 106. We need to get you to a hospital. I know neither of you want to hear this, but your daughter is coming tonight.”

I burst into tears once more and held onto Peter tightly. This was all happening too fast. I wasn’t ready! 

 

“No! It’s too soon! Please! Can’t we delay this a little longer? I’m begging you! It’s too soon!”

 

I felt Peter pick me up from the bed and through the doorway to our bedroom into the hallway. Doctor Elker following closely behind us. The hospital was a big blur. The doctors and their white coats all blended together into one. I barely registered Peter’s hand still holding onto my own. I fought off every doctor I could when I was placed into a tub of water to cool me down. Peter had to use all his strength to hold me still. I felt like I was drowning.

 

“Calm down Olivia! We’re trying to help you! Not drown you!”

 

The white coats were still a large blur as I continued to struggle against Peter. My strength was starting to leave me, and the pain was worse than it had been before. But at least now I wasn’t feeling like I was burning. My body was finally cooling down. I was suddenly pulled out of the water and toweled off by a bunch of nurses. My eye sight seemed to clear a little and I saw that Peter was soaking wet. 

 

“Don’t worry about me sweetheart. I’ll get something to dry off with. I won’t leave you I promise.”

 

I didn’t know what was going to happen next, and I didn’t want Peter to leave me. Not again, not ever. 

 

“You promise you won’t leave me. Please don’t let them cut me open. I want to do this naturally. We agreed on that remember?”

 

Peter nodded his head and held my right hand with his left, while he dried his head with his right hand with a towel. He quickly discarded it and kissed my hand. I had no idea where we were going, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t a birthing suite. I could see normally now, and I tilted my head up as we entered an operating room. I stiffened like a board. I was scared. Peter was glowing; I haven’t been this scared to see him glow in awhile. 

 

“Excuse me Mr. Bishop, but we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

 

I held my panic in, but my voice betrayed me.

 

“No let him stay! He’s her father! Peter you promised not to leave me!”

 

I couldn’t believe how hysterical I was becoming, but when you’re scared, you’ll say just about anything. 

 

“I’m not leaving you sweetheart. I promised I wouldn’t. I’ll be right here. I’ll have to get the right clothes though.”

 

I nodded my head and closed my eyes as I felt a few nurses help me change into a hospital gown. An iv was put into my hand to keep me hydrated. I was numb from the waist down, though I could feel pressure. Peter was not gone from my sight. I’d seen him put protective clothing over his regular clothes, and then he was back holding my hand again. I begged the doctors once more to see if they might change their minds about the C-section.

 

“Please, can’t I just deliver naturally? I’d rather not have an ugly scar that’ll last a lifetime...”

A group of doctors shook their heads at me and continued preparing a bunch of trays with various instruments. 

 

“This baby’s heart rate is all over the charts, and she’s at risk. If we go in and have your water broken, and try to do things naturally, we’ll only run into trouble, for the both of you.”

 

I shed more tears as a barrier was placed between my head and my chest. Oxygen was given to me to help regulate my breathing. Peter sat in a chair next to my head and was pushing the hair away from my sweaty face. 

 

“It’ll be alright sweetheart. Erica will come out just fine.”

 

I shook my head no and held onto his hand tighter as I heard the first doctor speak.

 

“Scalpel please nurse.”

 

I bit my lip and stared up at the ceiling. Peter took comfort in squeezing my hand. I could feel the pressure, and cool air hitting my insides. Another doctor spoke.

 

“Ok, going into the uterus now.”

 

This doctor sounded very impatient, but I kept my sole attention on Peter who was still pushing the hair from my face. 

 

“You’re doing so good sweetheart. We’re nearly there. Just a few more minutes and Erica will be with us.”

 

I nodded my head, but I wasn’t entirely sure everything would go as smoothly as Peter said it would. Swallowing, I looked into Peter’s eyes for comfort. Another doctor spoke, with a more serious tone of voice, rather than an impatient and annoyed one.

 

“Ok, we’re starting to see a head. This baby has the largest head I’ve seen for just only being 27 weeks along...” 

 

I didn’t like a minute of this, but I was going through it, but not by choice. It was another twenty minutes before the pressure left me and a wail accompanied it. Surprisingly, a strong healthy cry. Doctor Elker kept looking at Erica with amazement and wonder in her eyes.

 

“Olivia I don’t know how to explain this, but Erica is the size of a full term baby. She has good reflexes, and her cries are healthy. Would you like to see her?”

 

I nodded my head, desperate to see Erica. Doctor Elker came behind the barrier and placed Erica into my arms, however awkward it was because I was lying down flat on my back. She had a tuft of blond hair on her head, and she had Peter’s nose. She cried until I spoke to her.

 

“Hey sweetie. It’s ok. I know its scary and cold out here in the world isn’t it? Well you’ll get used to it. I know, you weren’t ready to come out of mommy where it was nice and warm huh? Well you are just as much a surprise to me as you are to daddy coming early and all... Welcome to the world Erica Dunham-Bishop.”

 

Though on paper Erica would bear both our names, we weren’t married yet. Peter and I would have to fix that. She yawned and shook her fist at me, snuggling closer to me. Natural instincts were taking over.

 

To Be Continued...


	7. The power of duality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own Erica.

February 19th, 2012: Boston General, 5:30 a.m.

 

Holding Erica in my arms felt so strange. For seven whole months she was safely tucked away inside me, and now here she is, in the flesh. I marveled at her tiny fingers, everything about her was just so tiny. Erica grabbed a piece of my hospital gown with her hand and held onto it. Touch and sound were the things she was in tune with right now. I’m glad that the drugs hadn’t worn off yet. The doctors put me back together using staples. Somehow, I don’t think staples were meant to go into humans. I tried to sit up when Broyles entered the room. I smiled tiredly at him.

 

“No need to get up Dunham. Agent Farnsworth told me what happened. I think congratulations are in order for the both of you.”

 

I looked down at Erica as she yawned and shook her fist at me. I blushed and looked back up at Broyles.

 

“Thank you sir. She was as much a surprise to me as she was to Peter. Being early and all, but she’s completely healthy, and she’s the size of a full term baby. Her doctor’s can’t explain it. Maybe it was the machine that sped up the process.”

 

I went back to playing with Erica’s tiny fingers as Broyles turned his attention over to Peter. Peter only looked at him seriously.

 

“Mr. Bishop, we’re doing everything we can to find evidence that you exist. We haven’t found much so far.”

 

Peter chuckled momentarily, and pulled out the pictures from his childhood. 

 

“Well then Broyles, if I don’t exist, then why are there pictures from my childhood?” 

 

I saw him place the picture of his mother holding him the day he was born in Broyles hand. 

 

“If I don’t exist then why is there a photo of my mother holding me on the day I was born? And the fact that Walter is in this photo? He is my father after all. I think that somebody is purposefully erasing things about me to make it look like I don’t exist. If Walter doesn’t start to remember who I am soon, my daughter will disappear forever.”

 

Broyles gave Peter a hard look and gave him back the photo. Then turned his attention back to me.

 

“Dunham, how is it that you think the machine might have sped up your daughter’s growth to a normal, healthy, full-term baby in just a month? Inside of you?”

 

I shook my head, and again marveled at Erica’s tiny features. Her tiny fingers grabbing at the fabric of my hospital gown. A nurse came into the room and smiled at me, but her   
voice was serious.

 

“Olivia, it’s time to change your bandages. I want to make sure that no staples have come out yet. Agent Broyles, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the room please.”

 

Broyles nodded his head and left the room. Peter sat in the chair next to my bed and traced Erica’s perfect little nose with his too-big index finger. I shivered at the cold air that flew across my skin when the nurse pulled the covers back over my feet. Peter helped me place Erica back into her plastic basinet next to him. 

 

“Olivia, could you scoot down a little?”

 

I did exactly as the nurse told me to do. She stopped momentarily and gave Peter a serious look of her own.

 

“Mr. Bishop, would you mind putting some gloves on and helping me lift her up off the bed a little?”

 

Peter shook his head in acknowledgement and found a pair of gloves his size. I felt Peter lift my bottom half up off the bed and watched as the nurse carefully unwrapped the gauze from around my stomach. It seemed like forever, but when the blood soaked gauze came off, all I could see was a black and blue sea of bruises, and the staples that adorned my healing skin. The nurse went about cleaning the long stretch of healing skin that went from the middle of my stomach and down past my bellybutton. The antiseptic stung as she cleaned the skin. Peter traced the staples with his left hand for a moment.

 

“This will turn into a beautiful scar. When you’ve completely healed, and when Erica gets older, we’ll be able to tell her that this scar was from her. A good scar.”

 

I shook my head no and watched as the nurse put fresh gauze around my stomach, watching in awe as she expertly wrapped it with such care and precision. I was much more comfortable when Peter helped me lie back down on the bed and put the sheets back over my legs. The nurse readjusted my iv drip and I began to relax again closing my eyes. I felt Peter kiss my forehead gently. My eyes burst open as Walter came into the room. He was very timid.

 

“Olivia. I’ve only just heard from Aspirin that you’ve had the child. How are you doing my dear?”

 

I smiled tiredly at Walter and motioned for him to come over to the plastic basinet so that he could see his granddaughter. I saw his face as he marveled at Erica’s tiny features.

 

“She’s beautiful Olivia. She has your eyes. She is your child Olivia. But she cannot possibly be my granddaughter, I don’t have children.”

 

Peter began to protest to Walter’s objections, which I was glad he did, Walter had to remember.

 

“Walter, Erica is your granddaughter, and I am your son. You have to remember, or Erica will disappear, and I’ll disappear with her.”

 

My heart sank at the thought of losing Peter again. I couldn’t lose him again, not for anything. If I lost both Erica and Peter, my whole world that had been built on months of happiness will have been for nothing. 

 

“Peter, help Walter remember. Please. I don’t want to lose you again.”

 

Peter came to my bedside and pulled me into a kiss. I didn’t want to let go, for fear I’d lose him forever. He nodded his head once we’d pulled apart and gave me a look I’d only understand. Erica’s cries and whimpering brought me back to reality and made me realize what was at stake here. So, reaching into her plastic basinet, I knew what I had to do. I had to hold onto her, help her know that I was there, and that it was ok. 

 

“It’s ok sweetheart. I’m right here. Mommy’s not going to leave you. Are you getting hungry?”

 

Peter shooed Walter out of the room, and I watched as Erica began to suckle. Her tiny fingers flexing against my bare skin. Before now, I’d never considered being a mother. My   
job was all consuming. Soon, my eyes were closing, and the world around me became dark.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When I woke again, it was dark in the room, and the sun had set long ago. I must have been asleep most of the day... I looked over to the chair where Peter had been sitting and then to the basinet next to the bed, both were empty. I tried not to panic; I pushed the help button on the remote on the bed to call for a nurse. One pushed the door open to my room with a concerned look on her face.

 

“Do you need something for the pain Olivia?”

 

I shook my head no and once again looked around the room confused. Looking at the nurse once more, I spoke.

 

“No I’m ok. Did you happen to see a man named Peter Bishop leave this room? And if he did, did he take our daughter Erica with him?”

 

The nurse seemed confused and then stuck her head out the door calling for a doctor to come into the room. 

 

“Olivia I’m going to ask you to calm down. Take a breath and tell me what happened.”

 

I slowly took a breath in and looked the doctor in the eye.

 

“Look I’m not crazy. There was a man here last night. His name is Peter Bishop. He’s my boyfriend and we have a daughter together. Her name is Erica.”

Doctor Almarson shook his head at me, as if I were the confused one.

 

“Olivia I don’t like to be the one to tell you this, but you were brought in with a gun-shot wound you got from out in the field last night. That’s why you’re here.”

 

I shook my head no and tried to look back at the empty basinet, but finding none, I began to get scared. I tried not to show it. 

 

“No you don’t understand. There was a man here last night his name is Peter Bishop. And I had a baby yesterday morning at 3:30 a.m. Her name is Erica; she weighs 7lbs and 8oz, a patch of blond hair and emerald green eyes. 21 inches long. Hand me my purse, there should be a sonogram of her in it. I’ll show you.”

 

Doctor Almarson could only give me a sympathetic look, I didn’t want pity. I wanted people to know the truth here.

 

“It has to be in here somewhere.”

 

I rifled through my purse to look for the sonogram, frustrated I looked back at Doctor Almarson and the nurse, arms crossed over my chest. 

 

“I’d like you to run a sonogram on me.”

 

Doctor Almarson gave me a look that said ‘you are going through something no one should go through’. 

 

“I think you should take some time to process the trauma you’ve just experienced. You had a fairly extensive gunshot wound to the abdomen.”

 

I smirked at Doctor Almarson and gave him an annoyed but knowing look. 

 

“Humor me please.”

 

Doctor Almarson and the nurse sighed and brought over the portable sonogram machine and waited for it to warm up. I let out a breath and looked at the black and white screen, waiting to prove that I was right. The conducting gel was cold, but I dealt with it. 

 

“Ok, I see the inside of your womb. There is nothing here. Some scar tissue from something else, but we’ll look into that. There’s nothing here. We can test you to make sure we’re not missing anything. It might give you some piece of mind.”

 

I glared Doctor Almarson and the nurse down. They had no right to do this to me.

 

“Don’t patronize me you two. I had a baby yesterday morning at 3:30. This is the maternity ward, 6th floor, Boston General. My baby’s name is Erica. She’s 7lbs 8oz, a patch of blond hair and is 21 inches long. I don’t know how many times I’m going to have to repeat that to you so that you’ll get it through your thick heads.”

 

I pulled the sheets back by my feet once more and showed them the staples from where they had sewn me up from the day before. 

 

“So, do you need any more proof than this? This was from where I had a C-section yesterday, where you took my baby from me.”

 

They both shook their heads no at me.

 

“Olivia, these are from where we sewed you up from the gunshot wound yesterday morning at 3:30. You need time to process what’s happened to you.”

 

Both the nurse and the doctor left the room and I looked around, and carefully placing my hands over my shrinking stomach. I don’t understand any of this. What’s going on? 

 

To Be Continued...


	8. A strange emptiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Olivia are taken to a secret facility.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own one original.

February 27th, 2012

 

As much as I was doing my best to try and make people remember Peter and Erica, it fell on deaf ears. Everyone thinks that it’s just trauma from my injuries. But what I’m really going through is post-partum depression. Every day a therapist came in to talk to me about what supposedly happened. I took a breath and placed my hands over my still shrinking stomach and kept them there. I knew I had my daughter, but why was everyone covering it up? Why were they covering up that they’d seen Peter? I creased my forehead in confusion when I felt fluttering inside me. Swallowing, I pushed the help button on the remote lying next to me on the bed. A nurse and a doctor came into the room with concerned looks on their faces. The nurse was the first to speak up.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you in any pain?”

 

I shook my head no and pushed the sheets back. The doctor looked generally concerned. Placing his hand over my stomach I looked him in the eye.

 

“Please tell me I’m not the only one feeling that... You do feel that don’t you?”

 

This nameless doctor nodded his head confusion written all over his face. The nurse was next, her face a cross between confusion and an unknown curiosity. 

 

“But how is that...? ...Even possible?”

 

I shook my head as the fluttering became stronger. 

 

“I dunno, you tell me.”

 

Doctor Marmur looked at me once more with sympathy in his eyes. I eyed him as he pulled on a pair of gloves. 

 

“Well the only way to make sure this baby is healthy and growing correctly is to do an internal pelvic exam.”

 

I pushed his hands away. He frowned at me for a moment. 

 

“What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”

 

I could only stare at him momentarily. Then I voiced my thoughts.

 

“It’s nothing against you Doctor Marmur, it’s just I have this thing where I don’t like male doctor’s um how should I say this, examining my nether-regions.”

 

Realization dawned on him and he pulled the gloves off in understanding. 

 

“Of course Olivia. Most women feel that way. I respect your wishes. Doctor Elker will be in shortly.” 

 

The nurse kept looking at me and then took a blood pressure cuff out to measure it with. I stayed quiet as the pressure and the throbbing increased. 

 

“Hmm, your blood pressure’s elevated. This doesn’t make any sense. I’m going to have Doctor Marmur send Doctor Elker in. She can asses this situation for herself.”

I smiled at the nurse and crossed my arms. Well, I’d finally gotten their attention. But was anyone else willing to listen to what I had to say? 

 

“Good. Humor me. I want to talk to her anyways.”

 

It wasn’t long before Doctor Elker came into the room. She smiled and then looked at me seriously. 

 

“Doctor Marmur tells me you felt some fluttering inside your womb. Is this your first child?”

 

I nodded my head, but none of this made sense. Maybe Walter could explain this. 

 

“Yes, but none of this makes any sense, because looking at the calendar, I had my daughter a week ago. Two months prematurely I might add, but she was born.”

 

Doctor Elker frowned at me and put on a pair of gloves. God I hated this part... I bit my lip and stared up at the ceiling. I wished Peter were here with me. 

 

“Everything looks good for being 28 weeks. How come you haven’t seen me sooner?”

 

I only gawked at Doctor Elker. She was kidding right? Shaking my head as she pulled the sheet back over me I gave her a nervous smile.

 

“You can’t be serious. Doctor Elker, I’ve been seeing you for the past seven months. That’s 28 weeks. The past three months my boyfriend has been coming with me to my appointments. You don’t remember any of that?”

 

Doctor Elker shook her head no at me. Pulling her gloves off and throwing them into the bio-hazardous waste bin, she put a hand on my own.

 

“Olivia, believe me when I say that today is the first time we’ve met. It’s a wonder this baby survived the gunshot wound you suffered.”

 

Again with the gunshot wound... Where were these people getting their information from anyways? I sighed frustrated by all of this and turned over once they’d left the room.   
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Everything in the room was dark, and the hallway seemed oddly quiet. This was my chance to get away. I was having difficulty standing, but once I did, it didn’t seem like such a chore. Making my way over to the closet, I opened it up. Seeing my clothes inside it I pulled out my pea coat and set it on the bed. In the hospital belongings bag I found a blue shirt, almost two sizes too small. Sighing I did my best to button it up over my bulging stomach.

 

“Yeah, this’ll work real well. Seven months pregnant and I can’t get my shirt on.”

 

I managed to get the rest of my pantsuit on without a fuss. I noticed I had my badge inside my pea coat. Putting it on, I opened up my door to my room slowly, looking out I saw   
the hallway was deserted. Making a split decision I slipped out the door. There were some stairs next to my room, but stairs weren’t the best thing for me right now. Getting into the empty elevator I almost held my breath. It dinged on the second floor letting a couple of nurses in. Neither of them seemed to recognize me. I quickly pulled my coat over the hospital bracelet around my wrist. I smiled shyly at them as I got off on the ground floor. From here I’d have to call for a taxi. I waved my hand and one pulled up outside the emergency entrance. Opening up the door I got in, getting an angry kick from Erica. Sitting down I spoke:

 

“Uw, relax sweetheart. Mommy isn’t doing anything she isn’t supposed to. We’re going to go home first and then we’re going to find daddy.”

 

The cab driver looked at me through the rearview mirror, his voice resonating through the glass that separated the both of us.

 

“Where to lady?”

 

I smiled and sat back in the cab.

 

“Brighton please.”

 

The cab driver turned around and nodded his head.

 

“Brighton it is.”

 

I managed to take a small cat nap on the way home. Looking down at my watch, I realized that I couldn’t find Peter tonight. I’d have to drive to Reiden Lake in the morning.   
Couldn’t do much in the dark. I opened up my eyes again when I realized we were in my neighborhood.

 

“You can stop right here.”

 

The cab driver smiled at me and I handed him a 20. Slowly getting out, I braced the door handle to get up. The driver noticed and immediately got out. Not wanting to offend the   
driver I let him help me out. 

 

“Here let me help you miss.”

 

I smiled politely at him. My face paled as I stared at the ten steps I had to go up to get to my apartment door. He helped me all the way up the stairs and turned around go back down them.

 

“Hey, thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

 

The driver waved as he got back into his cab. 

 

“It’s no problem. I got a wife with a baby on its way too. No worries.”

 

The cab drove away and I slowly opened the door. The mail had stacked up in the doorway. Three weeks of mail to go through Dunham. You’d better get on it... Trying to bend over had become very difficult since I couldn’t even see my feet anymore. Bending down, I managed to get the mail into my hands, and now here comes the hard part, pulling myself up again. Grabbing onto the coat rack, I managed to stand. A knock on my door startled me. Setting down the mail on the table by the front door, I looked through the look-out hole. It was Doctor Gardner. He lived just next door to me with his wife, also a doctor. I slowly opened up the door and smiled at him.

 

“Olivia. You should be getting some rest. It’s late.”

 

I nodded my head and kept my smile on my face.

 

“I know it’s late, but I just can’t seem to get to sleep. I guess it’s because my boyfriend isn’t here.”

 

Doctor Gardner only smiled at me.

 

“Where is Peter these days? I haven’t seen him around for awhile.”

 

Well this is strange, how is it that Doctor Gardner can remember who Peter is and no one else can? Something is very wrong with this picture here. 

 

“Actually Doctor Gardner he’s missing. In fact my boss is sending me and a few of my colleagues out to look for him.”

 

I knew that was a lie I’d just told Doctor Gardner, but if he knew I was going to find Peter by myself he’d strongly oppose to it. 

 

“How are you holding up Olivia? Is there anything you need? Some mild sleeping pills maybe? Don’t worry, they won’t harm the baby. You’ll wake up rested.”

 

I shook my head no at Doctor Gardner and held onto the door handle. I was fighting off a dizzy spell, and doing my best to hide it from him.

 

“Thank you Doctor Gardner, but I don’t think that will be necessary. I’ve found warm tea helps me sleep at night now, and the baby finds it very soothing.”

 

Doctor Gardner turned and walked away. Closing my door, I heard him enter his apartment and shut it again. Taking my warm tea I went back to my bedroom and striped my clothes. Finding my Northwestern t-shirt and my sweatpants I slid both on and sat in bed sipping at my warm tea. Once I was finished with it, I set the still warm mug down on the night table next to the bed and turned the lamp off. Erica gave me one good hard kick as I was closing my eyes.

 

“Go to sleep baby girl. That tea should help you sleep too.”

 

It took her a few minutes but she finally stopped giving me painful kicks in the gut and stilled. I sighed and closed my eyes. Sleep came so fast I didn’t have time to notice it.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 29th, 2012 

 

I woke to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining. But looks were deceiving. It was the middle of February and there was still snow on the ground. Rising from the bed, I got the kinks out of my back. Erica was wide awake and kicking me hard again.

 

“Sweetie, I don’t know why you’re being so mean to mommy, please be nice.”

 

Erica seemed to calm a little as I shed my Northwestern t-shirt and pulled a light blue blouse over my shoulders. Buttoning it up wasn’t difficult. Finding a gray pantsuit I pulled it on. I hadn’t even known that they’d made pantsuits for maternity until I looked into it. I found some gray socks to match and slipped my shoes on. Leaving my room I made my way towards the kitchen. Making myself a warm glass of milk and some cereal with some fruit I sat down in a chair at the kitchen table. 

 

“See isn’t that better baby girl? Some food in mommy’s tummy so that you can eat too?”

 

I began to feel ‘happy kicks’ emerge from within me and smiled. Once I’d finished off my breakfast I pulled my pea coat on over me and put my beanie and my gloves on. Going out of my apartment I made my way towards the front door that led to the outside world. Opening it up slowly I went out. Not wanting to make the inside cold I closed it quietly, knowing that some people were still asleep. Turning around I slipped on a piece of black ice, sliding down the stairs. When I reached the bottom I called for help. Someone was sure to hear me.

 

“HELP! I need help!”

 

I hadn’t noticed that Doctor Gardner had been just a few steps behind me. Lying flat on my back I shifted my eyes upwards and saw his face. 

 

“Oh my god Olivia! Are you alright?”

 

I shook my head unsure and did my best to sit up. Doctor Gardner pushed be back down on my back.

 

“No don’t move. Just try and relax.”

 

I stared up at the beautiful blue sky above me as Doctor Gardner checked for injuries. I panicked momentarily when Erica became still. 

 

“Erica. Mommy is ok. We’re ok.”

 

I got a startled kick out of Erica and I sighed in relief. Doctor Gardner shaking his head and finding no injuries, he’d helped me into a sitting position. 

 

“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you. But you did just take a pretty big spill. Come down to the clinic with me and I’ll have my wife check you out. I just want to make sure there isn’t anything to risk you or this baby’s health.”

 

I nodded my head as he helped me to my feet. Steadying me, we walked the two blocks to the clinic he and his wife worked at.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well everything checks out Olivia. But I’d be a little more careful if I were you. Try not to be on your feet more than necessary today ok? And if you ever need anything from me or Mark, just ask. We’re right next door. I’ll have him check on you tonight.”

 

I nodded my head and smiled politely at Ann. Pulling my coat and my beanie back onto my head, I put my gloves on. Walking back the two blocks to my car didn’t seem as difficult. Getting in, I started it, waiting for it to warm up. Putting the heaters on full blast, I put the car into gear. 

 

“Reiden Lake here I come.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 29th, 2012 12:45 p.m.

 

Reiden Lake

 

Snow was falling lightly when I arrived at Reiden Lake. I parked in the driveway to Peter’s old lake house that his parents had owned while he was growing up. Getting out of my truck, I closed it. Trudging through this snow might be difficult. Flashlight in my pocket I made my way towards the middle of the lake. This was where the paramedics had said they had found Peter the last time. Getting down on my hands and knees as best I could I removed some of the snow from the ice. Turning my flashlight on I aimed it at the ice to see if I could try and find Peter. I had to be careful, this ice could be thin. Suddenly, Peter’s face appeared under the ice. His eyes were closed. I hit the ice with my flashlight, making a little hole in it. But before I could remove more of the ice and reach in for Peter, I felt someone knock me on the back of the head. Hard. Managing to stay conscious, I turned to find the man Peter had described to be about two months ago. real tall. Black hair, and I'm going to steal your word here, he had freakishly blue eyes. He also had a scar like the one Nick Lane had on the side of his face. He was wearing a big black over coat looked to be between 35 and 40. 

 

“Who are you? And why are you here?”

 

The man only smirked and knocked me over the head again, this time knocking me out. When I came to, I found myself in some sort of warehouse. It was dark, so I couldn’t make out the details of the place. I heard Peter begin to sputter and cough somewhere nearby. His voice echoing off the walls.

 

“ ‘Livia? Are you alright? If they did anything to hurt you or the baby I’ll kill them all.”

 

I tried moving my head, but finding I couldn’t, I found my voice instead.

 

“I’m ok Peter. But where are we?”

 

Suddenly, a bright light was shined in my face. And the man who had knocked me over the head was mere inches from my face.

 

“Well well. Glad to finally see your awake Agent Dunham. Now that you’re awake. We can start.”

 

My blood ran cold, but my anger showed.

 

“Start what?”

 

He smirked at me more and undid my hands and feet and head from the rope. Looking back into the darkness, he spoke to another man who apparently was nearby.

 

“Doctor Ashton, get Agent Dunham here ready for delivery. Make sure she’s comfortable.”

 

A woman’s voice sounded off to the side somewhere.

 

“Of course sir.”

 

I fought against this Doctor Ashton as she pulled me into the dark. I called out for Peter.

 

“Peter! Don’t let them take me from you! Erica and I need you! Please, don’t let them do this to me! IT’S TOO SOON! PETER IT’LL KILL ME!”

 

I heard the sound of Peter trying to break free from his ropes, but to no avail. I was led into a room with dim lighting, and I couldn’t see any of the doctor’s in it. I sure as hell   
wasn’t cooperating with them. They weren’t making Erica come. Not now. I had to devise an escape plan, and quickly. 

 

To Be Continued...


	9. Never give up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own one original.

February 30th, 2012

 

I’d never give up. I couldn’t. No matter how many drugs these people were giving me, Erica wasn’t coming out. I wouldn’t let them take her from me. I was dealing with the pain as best I could. But it was hard when you couldn’t move because a paralytic was in your system. I saw Doctor Reganson come into my line of vision. I tried to spit on him, only succeeding in landing on my own face. The strange thing was though, I could still talk.

 

“If you think so much as to touch me, you are going to regret it.”

 

Doctor Reganson gave me a mock-serious look. His eyes held the look of ‘I’m just doing my job, nothing personal’. Doctor Ashton adjusted my iv line and looked at me with a sympathetic gaze. 

 

“Olivia I know this is difficult for you right now, and you are in a great deal of pain, despite the pain medication we’re giving you, but I’m going to have to ask you to relax. I need to check...”

 

No way in hell was she doing that! Not with men in the room! My legs were completely dead weight. I was angry; they had no right to be doing this to me! No right at all! I could do nothing but cuss Doctor Ashton out. 

 

“You bitch! You touch me and you’ll regret it! If you were a man, I’d kick you in the balls and you’d never be able to reproduce again. Let me go damnit!”

 

I stayed quiet as Peter came up behind Doctor Ashton with a gun. I curbed the pain as it came in white hot waves. I bit my lip to suppress a scream that was threatening to escape from my mouth. I shut my eyes momentarily, and it seemed to take the edge off. When I opened them up again, Peter had the barrel of the gun up against the back of Doctor Ashton’s neck. She threw her hands up in submissive protest, but the smile on her face told me otherwise, turning she gave him a smirk, and out from the shadows came a man I recognized. 

 

“Mr. Michael’s. I hadn’t expected to see you again. What do you want with me?”

 

Now it was his turn to smirk. I shifted my eyes towards the monitors and saw my heart rate spike. 

 

“You know, at the rate your heart is beating, it’ll give out soon. Your daughter can’t stay in there forever. I know for a fact that you won’t ignore your natural instincts.”

 

I could finally move my head and spit in his general direction. 

 

“Screw you ass-hole. Let me go.”

 

I was gritting my teeth with such force they were hurting. He kept smirking at me, this time speaking once more.

 

“Well now, I think it’s time we transfer you to another facility where we can better monitor your condition. Here are the rules as follows; upon the delivery of your daughter, she is the property of the CIA. You will not have rights to her, or even have any contact whatsoever.”

 

I was now resisting my body’s natural instinct to push with all my might. Fighting against the grain is harder than I thought... Peter saw me and tried to come over and hold my hand, but was knocked over the head by Doctor Ashton. I was given a sedative in my iv line and I started to relax, sleep came relatively fast. Pain wasn’t even registering anymore, but I knew that it was there.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When I woke again, I was in a room that was nothing but the color of white. White walls, floors, ceilings, the bed was white... A copious amount of wires were running in and out of me. I found that I still couldn’t move. My head was only thing that was moveable. The pain began to well up inside me again and I bit my lip to curb it. I found that I was slowly regaining movement in my body. I could move my arms and legs, though painfully. I heard a door lock being jimmied and realized that it might be someone dangerous, or it could be Peter. I pulled back the covers and discovered a wire going from me to some machine behind a two way mirror. A voice came over a loudspeaker.

 

“Don’t move Olivia. This’ll only take a minute.”

 

Oh my god, they’d stuck a sensor/camera inside me to monitor the baby. As uncomfortable as it was I was dealing with it. A large screen came down in front of me and turned on. A 3D image of Erica popped up on it. I could literally see my uterus expanding and contracting as I looked at her. Her tiny fingers were in her mouth. I shut my eyes to try and block out the painful image. I managed to turn onto my side and curl up in a ball. Pulling the covers back over me I felt less exposed, though I was wearing a starched white hospital gown. I kept my eyes closed as a nurse came into the room. I must have imagined Peter had jimmied the door lock. These were state-of-the-art technology. She smiled at me as I opened up my eyes. Pulling back the sheet she looked at me. 

 

“I see you are gaining your movement back. Looks like Doctor Ashton will have to administer another Paralytic. Stay still for a minute, I just need to remove the sensor.”

 

I bit my lip once more as she moved my legs a little so that she could get to the sensor. It was a good 5 minutes before she came back with the sensor covered in my blood. Ew, that’s just disgusting. 

 

“Dilated seven centimeters Olivia. We’re almost there. It won’t be long now. If you stop resisting, it’ll be a lot easier on you.”

 

I shook my head no and gritted my teeth. 

 

“My daughter isn’t coming out. I won’t let you have her. It’s too soon. It’s too soon...”

 

She gave me a look of; ‘well we’ll see about that’. I glared at her as Doctor Ashton came into the room. I pulled the sheets back over me and closed my hospital gown with my left hand. I stayed in my curled- up position as Doctor Ashton looked at me.

 

“Olivia, we’re only giving you this paralytic for your own protection. You are doing more harm to yourself right now because you are delaying labor. You’ve been at 7 centimeters for the past two days. Now if you relax and let your body do what’s natural, this baby will come out. But the longer you keep her in there, the less oxygen she’s going to be getting to her brain.”

 

I laughed her off. She was insane. Insane I tell you! My water hadn’t even broken! 

 

“Well, how do you suppose you’re going to have me deliver my daughter huh? When my water hasn’t even broken? That proves right there that she’s not ready to come out yet...”

 

See that was the problem with them forcing labor on me, Erica just wasn’t ready to come out yet. She’d come out when she was ready. I frowned some more as Mr. Michael’s came into the room. Somehow, he managed to give me a polite smile. 

 

“Doctor Ashton, I think it’s best if we stopped her labor.”

 

Doctor Ashton’s face turned from annoyed to angry. Her fists balling up she broke the syringe in hand with the paralytic.

 

“Sir, may I ask why this is? We’re behind schedule as it is... We want to have the child ready for tests in a couple of days...”

 

Mr. Michael’s only shook his head at Doctor Ashton. She only grew more angry and bent out of shape.

 

“I’m sorry Mara, but I have my orders from above. The big bosses say it’s too risky, and we might lose some valuable DNA, from the both of them. Check to make sure the child is in good health, perform a pelvic and then find something to stop her labor. The child needs to incubate longer.”

 

A frustrated Doctor Ashton sighed and went about her business. I smiled at her and then smirked. Things were finally going according to plan.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I pulled the sheets over my head when I heard Peter come up from behind and shoot the nurse first in the leg, and then Doctor Ashton in the shoulder. Uncovering my face, Peter smiled at me. Taking my hand he helped me out of bed. Disentangling me from the various wires that were attached to me, he detached them. Along with various other things. He made sure that my hospital gown was closed. Leading me out of my room, I grabbed onto him tightly as we rounded a corner. 

 

“Peter stop it hurts!”

 

Peter gave me a wild-eyed look and a fleeting look of panic a minute later. 

 

“I thought you said they stopped labor?”

 

I looked him in the eyes with a scared gaze. Unable to move from my spot, I locked my knees. I crouched down momentarily, trying to regain my composure. But Peter pulled me up. 

 

“They did, but its taking longer than I thought.”

 

Peter kept leading me down the hallway, but now there were guards after us. Alarms were blaring and Peter and I hadn’t any place to go... We were essentially trapped...


	10. Caught in the crossfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original.

March 1st, 2012

 

“Peter? Got any bright ideas on how to get out of here?”

 

I saw Peter scan the hallway and evaluate how many guards there were.

 

“I'm thinking 'Livia. I'm thinking... There are three of us, well technically two because number three isn't in your arms yet... And there are 16 of them... Not good odds sweetheart. Best thing we can do is try and split up, we'll reunite when I find the front entrance. Go.”

 

Was he crazy? No way was I leaving him to fend for himself. I stood my ground.

 

“No. I'm not going Peter. We're in this together. Besides this is a facility run by the CIA, everything is intertwined with the technology they use. Meaning there aren't very many ways to get out, even if you hotwire the doors to open, they'll just reboot and try another security lock.”

 

Peter was being stubborn as always... We were in this together. I'd give my life to save our daughter... A couple of guards had grabbed me, but no matter how much I kicked them, or screamed, they were big men and they wouldn't let their iron grip on me go. Peter clocked out as many as he could. 16 men plus the two holding onto me made 18... They were practically dragging me back towards my room, and I saw an angry Mr. Michael's come out hobbling on one leg and a gushing gunshot wound on his right... They practically broke down the door to my room and threw me in there. I fell hard and couldn't seem to get up for what seemed like an hour. A voice came over the loudspeaker somewhere in the back of the room.

“Olivia, get back into bed. You need to be resting. Get rested, another 3D imaging scan of your baby in an hour.”

 

I huffed, frustrated. I had to get out of this place. But where was I exactly? And where was Peter? Had they thrown him back in his room? Or was he locked away somewhere where I couldn't hear him? I looked over towards the mirror. I knew it was a two way mirror. I walked over to it carefully and banged on it. 

 

“I know you can hear me in there! Let us go! Why is my baby so important to you? What has she ever done to you?”

 

Then I pointed to 10 different hospital bracelets on my right wrist. Each one seemed to signify something unique. 

 

“What are these for?”

 

Doctor Ashton spoke through the intercom once more, her voice slightly exasperated.

 

“First one is the one from your hospital stay at Boston General. The other 9 are from this facility and I’m not at liberty to discuss what they are for...”

 

I balled my fists as a couple of guards came into the room and escorted me back to my bed. I fought them, but it was no use. Finally I flopped on the bed and pulled the covers over me. They left the room just as fast as they came in.

 

“Bull shit. Now shut those lights off.”

 

The lights dimmed instantly and I found myself falling asleep. When I woke again, I felt awful. Like I’d just jumped into a river and my clothes were soaking wet. I shivered and pulled the covers around me tighter. I was sweating and yet I was freezing at the same time. Suddenly, the lights came up, and they hurt my eyes so bad I felt as if they were burning. I could barely make out the outlines of Doctor Ashton and Doctor Reganson. I shut my eyes as Doctor Reganson shined a penlight into my eyes. 

 

“Pupils are dilated and non-reactive. Showing all the signs of toxins in the blood. Doctor Ashton take some amniotic fluid from her.”

 

The covers were pulled back and a couple of nurses held me down as Doctor Ashton exposed part of my stomach. I watched on, horrified by the 30 gauge needle going in through my belly button. I bit back a scream and managed a whimper as I saw the fluid, normally clear like water came out black. One of the nurses looked at me putting a gloved hand to my forehead. 

 

“Don’t worry Olivia. We’ll make you feel better. But we’re going to have to drain the affected amniotic fluid from you to ensure there isn’t any damage done to your baby.”

 

Doctor Ashton came into my line of vision, her face was sympathetic, something I didn’t see very often from her. She was a more hardened woman than I was. I swallowed and awaited her reply.

 

“Olivia I’m going to have to insert this tube in through your navel. We’ll have to go deep into the placenta, all the way down to where it connects to the baby. This will ensure that we get all that toxic amniotic fluid out. I won’t lie to you, inserting this tube into you is going to be quite unbearable. You are welcome to do anything you like, as long as you don’t kick me in the face. Now I’ve asked Mr. Michael’s to kindly let your husband stay with you while we perform this procedure. He should be in any minute.”

 

I nodded my head and noticed was starting to feel very sore. I looked at my arms and my partially exposed stomach. Why was I bruising? Doctor Ashton’s face paled and she motioned for Doctor Reganson to look at me.

 

“Doctor Reganson. We have a problem here. We couldn’t have predicted that she would bruise. Bruising wasn’t part of the process. We gave her too much of the virus.”

 

My voice rose above my pain-induced state. What the hell was wrong with these people!?

 

“What the hell is wrong with you people!? What kind of virus is this!? What the hell did you give me! Answer me!?”

 

Both Doctor Reganson and Doctor Ashton kept their cool as they looked back at me. Doctor Ashton kept her calm and comforting demeanor and put a hand on my own. 

 

“Olivia relax. Baby’s heart rate is elevated because you are excited. We need you to stay as calm as possible.”

 

Like hell I was! Peter entered the room just then, and he sat down in the chair next to the bed, grabbing for my hand and holding it tight. I bit my lip and held Peter’s hand tighter as one of the nurses put the sensor in so that they could take an ‘accurate’ reading of Erica. 

 

“OW! Hey! Could you be a little gentler please! I’d like to come out of this with my Uterus and my insides intact thank you!”

 

Doctor Reganson gave the nurse a dark look. She only ignored him. She busied herself with fixing my iv line attached to my hand. 

 

“You need to be gentler with her. This baby is sensitive to everything we’re doing here. Please take more care next time or I may have Eliot fire you.”

 

The nurse gave him a panicked looked, but only fleetingly so. The large screen came down from the ceiling and the 3D image of Erica showed up. My heart sank. She’s barely moving. Then as if on cue her movements became wild. Her tiny arms were in spasms. I looked away and into Peter’s eyes. Doctor Reganson’s voice sounded urgent this time. 

 

“Remove the sensor and insert the tubing now!”

 

I watched as the screen went back into the ceiling and the nurse took out the sensor. Peter’s eyes were but he kept rubbing my back. The nurse paled as she took the sensor out from under the sheet. 

 

“Another problem Doctor Reganson. The virus is infecting her blood quickly and it’s turning her blood black. It’s filling her uterus fast. We need to get that tubing into her now.”

 

I bit my lip and Peter squeezed my hand for comfort. The second nurse gave me a wash cloth and stuck it in my mouth. I bit down on it with all my might. I felt Peter’s left hand rubbing my back, in small comforting circular strokes. 

 

“It’s alright sweetheart. It’ll all be over soon.”

 

I couldn’t stop the tears from come down. It was ten minutes or so, and then the pain seemed to subside. I hadn’t noticed my body was shaking until now. Peter pulled me into his arms momentarily.

 

“We’re halfway there sweetheart. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

 

I nodded my head and watched the black fluid leave me through the tubing and travel to an unseen machine hidden behind another bed just behind me. It stung but it didn’t hurt like when they put the tubing in. Doctor Ashton gave me an explanation.

 

“Olivia the only reason why the tubing hurt while we were inserting it, was because your blood vessels in the placenta were inflamed. As we drain the affected fluid they should start to thin again.”

 

It was a good hour before we started to see any changes. Finally the fluid was starting to clear and it hurt less and less. It was another fifteen before the fluid was completely clear. I was tired now, as if I’d just finished running a marathon. Doctor Ashton and Doctor Reganson talked amongst themselves, but I could hear what they were talking about.

 

“The husband, Peter Bishop. Is there any risk of him being exposed? We should remove him from the room immediately.”

 

I saw Doctor Reganson shake his head no and then pointed to me. I gave Peter a bleary-eyed look. 

 

“No, he’s immune to the virus. We gave him a small sampling of the virus and his body’s immune system attacked it quickly. I’ve inoculated him against it regardless. If this were to get out into the public, mass panic would ensue.”

 

I let Peter pull me into his arms as another nurse injected something into the iv in my hand. 

 

“Don’t worry this is just something to fight off the virus. You should be better in a couple of days.”

 

Why did I not believe this woman? These people were full of lies! Peter and I had to get out of here and quickly. Little did I know, I would soon come to find that this cure wasn’t going to work and that I’d relapse... I wasn’t going to die in this place... I had to find out the secrets it still held. Even the grisly ones...

 

To Be Continued...


	11. Tunnels and dead ends

March 12th, 2012

 

Getting out hadn’t been an easy task, but when you’ve figured out the drugs at your disposal it’s quite a bit easier. I’d managed to slip a strong sedative to three nurses and a doctor. Another I knocked out with a tray that just happened to be lying on the table next to my bed. My next feat would be to find my clothes. Looking into a bin labeled ‘To burn’ I found my clothes buried at the bottom. Quickly putting them on I realized they reeked of something; I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Now in the hallway, I kept checking in every direction to make sure I wasn’t being followed. I looked into every room I could find, most if not all were locked. Something was telling me to look for Peter in a room at the end of the hall on the left. Following the feeling I found the door and looked into the window. Peter was sitting on the edge of his bed working on something. I tapped on the glass with my finger, when Peter looked up I smiled. We were getting out of here, and it was going to be now! He came up to the glass and had to practically yell so that I could hear him. 

 

“Olivia get away from the door!”

 

I got away from the door and leaned up against the wall. The door handle was shot off and Peter kicked open the door with his foot. Looking around it, I saw a guard knocked out on the floor. Peter smiled at me and grabbed for my hand. 

 

“Let’s get out of here sweetheart.”

 

I nodded my head and followed Peter down a tunnel. It was so dark we couldn’t see. 

 

“Peter? Where are the lights in this place? I can’t see a damn thing.”

 

We both felt our way towards a wall. It felt like rock. I felt scared, but I wouldn’t let Peter know that. I had to keep myself calm. 

 

“I know, neither can I. Let’s just try and follow this to see where it goes. Keep yourself up against the wall, that way we know that we won’t run into anything that might be in the way.”

 

I nodded my head though I knew he couldn’t see me. Twenty minutes of following the tunnel and I had to stop. I took a deep breath and looked down in the direction of my swelling stomach. Peter crashed into me.

 

“Peter, I need to stop for a minute. I think Erica wants me to stop. She’s doing summersaults again. Maybe if she got some advice from daddy she’d calm down.”

 

I felt Peter’s hand go to my stomach. I let out another breath and tried to look around me, though it would do me no good since I couldn’t see anything. 

 

“Hey there baby girl. Calm down in there. You’re just reacting to mommy being scared aren’t you? I thought so.”

 

I smiled as Erica kicked in agreement with her father. All I knew at the moment was that we had to get out of this dark tunnel. I’ve never trusted the dark. Peter squeezed my hand and urged me to keep going. Taking another breath more out of comfort than for anything else, I continued to feel my way across the wall. Another twenty minutes went by and then I had to stop again, this time because my feet were hitting something sharp.

 

“Peter I’m sorry I have to stop again. I don’t have any shoes so these rocks are cutting into my feet.”

 

He helped me sit down up against the rock wall. I jumped a little when I heard an echo bounce off the granite-like walls.

 

“Sweetheart it’s alright. Here, take my shoes. They’ll at least protect you from the sharp rocks on the ground.”

 

Shaking my head no, I pushed his shoes away. I could tough this out. I was Olivia Dunham. Nothing could stop me from finding the light again. Nothing. I suddenly found myself falling, grabbing onto the edge of the hole I managed to hold on. I yelled for Peter to stop.

 

“Peter stop! There’s a hole! Please help me out of it I’m slipping!”

 

I felt Peter’s hands grab for my own. I did my best to ignore the pain radiating up and down my entire body. I must have hit the side of the hole. Pulling me up took a lot of strength. I lay on my side for a few minutes to catch my breath.

 

“You alright ‘Livia?”

 

Peter’s voice was echoing throughout the tunnel. I want out of here, and I want out of here now! 

 

“No... Something hurts...”

 

I felt Peter’s hands trying to find the source of the pain. I winced and pushed his hands away. 

 

“Ouch! My stomach... I think I hit it when I hit the side of the hole...”

 

Peter’s hands were then on my back momentarily. I managed to push myself into a sitting position. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. 

 

“Can you stand Liv?”

 

I nodded my head, though it was fruitless to do so. Helping me up, I almost wanted to panic, but I knew that wouldn’t help matters any, especially in the dark. 

 

“Peter, where’s the hole? Do you think there might be a way around it? I don’t want to fall down it again...”

 

Peter by now had taken my hand in his own and was leading me behind him. I trusted him, but was also hesitant at the same time.

 

“Come on Liv. I’ve found a way around the hole. There’s about an 8” outcropping to help guide us. Just keep your back up against the wall. It’s not far to the other side. Maybe about 20 feet. I won’t leave you. I promise.”

 

Swallowing, I followed Peter, shuffling with my back against the wall. Once I was sure we were on the other side of the large hole I put my left foot out to try and feel where the hole was. Finding none, I continued with my back against the wall. The tunnel seemed never-ending until my hands felt only more granite-like rock in front of me. My hand stopped on top of Peter’s. 

 

“ ‘Livia, it’s a dead end. We’ll have to go back and find another branch off of the tunnel.”

 

I stopped for a few seconds, trying to process what Peter had just told me. 

 

“Peter I hope your not suggesting we go back over the hole again... If you haven’t noticed, I’m not in that great of shape...”

 

Peter’s hand was on my cheek and stroked it for a minute. Sighing, I reluctantly agreed silently. 

 

“I’d carry you across, but then we’d both fall in the hole... I threw a rock down there earlier, and it’s a long way down...”

 

Peter yet again went in front of me and led the way. Scaling my way once again across the 8” outcropping surrounding the hole I held my breath. A few pieces of rock fell as I reached the other side. Letting out my breath, I reached out for Peter who took a collective sigh of relief and grabbed for my arm. I crashed into Peter when he stopped. 

 

“Liv? Do you feel that? There’s a fork-off right here. I think I see light at the end of this fork. Let’s follow it.”

 

Still scaling the wall, I followed the rush of air and the faint light at the end of the fork. I was ignoring my aching feet. The light was almost blinding me now, and I could see Peter. I shielded my eyes from the strange white light and stopped. Peter nearly running into me. Looking around me as I stepped into the light I noticed some kind of receptionist at a desk, and then two large glass doors leading out somewhere else. The receptionist quickly hung up the phone and looked at us stunned.

 

“Sir? Ma’am? How did you get in here? I’m afraid I’m going to have to call security to escort the two of you out.”

 

I straightened out my pantsuit and cleared my throat. Where exactly were we? Before I could ask where the hell we were at, I was knocked on the back of the head and I lost consciousness instantly. When I woke again, I found that I had a nose bleed and I was lying flat on my back on a sidewalk in the middle of Boston. I turned my head to see Peter on his side. I reached my hand out towards his neck and felt for a pulse. Finding one, I sighed in relief. I heard him cough and sputter for a minute and then his eyes snapped open. Clearing his throat he spoke.

 

“ ‘Livia? You alright?”

 

Nodding my head I tried getting up, only succeeding in turning over on my side. Of all the people walking on the side walk, five people finally stopped to ask us what happened.

 

“Hey, are you two alright? We saw the van that you got thrown out of... Here we wrote the license plate number down for you... Don’t move. Help’s on the way.”

 

Unintentionally I grabbed for Peter’s hand and I had just now noticed that my nose bleed had turned black. I played it cool as I saw him smile weakly at him.

 

“Baby ok?”

 

Shaking my head, I wasn’t sure. But I knew that this virus, whatever it was, was still coursing through my veins and it wasn’t about to let go of me. I didn’t cry, but my voice shook as I spoke.

 

“I dunno. But that weird virus is still in me. We have to get it out... We don’t know what kind of effect it’ll have on Erica.”

To Be Continued...


	12. Separate isolation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original one.

March 24th, 2012

 

Peter and I had been sent to isolation rooms at Boston General when we were admitted. Peter had been placed in a room next door, a lone window serving as our only way to see and communicate with each other. Placing my hand on the glass, I hadn’t realized how small my hands were compared to Peter’s. I pressed on the intercom button on the wall and spoke into it.

 

“I wish we could talk to each other face to face. Without this window and intercom. At least they let us see each other...”

 

A doctor and a nurse came into the room, sitting down on my bed; I let the doctor listen to my heartbeat while the nurse checked my blood pressure. As she was about to take off the hospital bracelets given to me by the CIA I stopped her.

 

“I can’t let you take those off just yet...”

 

The nurse looked at me and shook her head. She didn’t understand. 

 

“Why not?”

 

I cleared my throat and ignored the sore spots on my ever growing stomach as the doctor pressed down on it. 

 

“Sorry, but these are property of the FBI until we get everything sorted out. That’s all I can tell you.”

 

The nurse nodded her head and took the blood pressure cuff off my arm. Both she and the doctor were wearing biohazard suits. No one knew exactly what kind of virus I’d   
contracted; Peter was put in isolation, even though they say he’s showing no symptoms. My face fell, knowing that they’d want to bring the strange black fluid out of my womb, in which it was filling. 

 

“You’re not going to put a laparoscope in me are you? If you are, put me under. The last one I had, I was awake for and the pain was unbearable. No pain meds whatsoever.”

 

The doctor who looked at me, his name was Doctor Parsons. He had a kind smile, and was young. 

 

“We understand you went through something terrible. Our main priority right now is to ensure the health and well-being of you and your baby. What I’d like to do is draw a little amniotic fluid from you and start by testing that.”

 

I nodded my head as Doctor Parsons placed the cold stethoscope onto my back. Shivering, I looked back at him. Instead of finding a calm expression lining his face I found one of shock.

 

“Olivia? Where did you get this bruising on your back from?”

 

Shaking my head, I tried to get a better look at them. But it wasn’t an easy feat looking over your shoulder. 

 

“Strange side effect from the virus running through my veins. Unfortunately, that counts as evidence too... Pictures and testimonies can be used in court.”

 

The nurse looked at me sympathetically and put a hand on my own. 

 

“Whoever’s done this to you was cruel. Olivia I hate to ask you this at such a vulnerable time, but we really need to check for internal injuries. You refused when you were admitted, but it’s the only way we know that things are ok. Don’t worry; I’ve paged Doctor Elker so she’ll be on her way down soon. In the meantime, I suggest you lie here quietly for a little while.”

 

I breathed in a sigh of relief. So she knew my secret of being uncomfortable around male doctors. Smiling once more, she helped me close the back of my hospital gown and lie down again. I stared up at the ceiling when they exited the room and placed my hands over my stomach. Erica gave an angry kick. I groaned and Peter pushed the intercom button on his end of the line.

 

“Not now sweetheart. I know you’ve been through a really rough time the past several weeks, but believe me, it’ll be time to come out soon.”

 

I heard Peter push the intercom button on his end again. 

 

“ ‘Livia? You alright in there?’

 

I nodded my head and pulled the covers over me a little higher. My brain wandered although I answered Peter.

 

“Erica is just upset with me. She thinks something’s gonna happen to me...”

 

Though I answered Peter, I knew he couldn’t hear me because I wasn’t using the intercom system on my end. Peter had to settle for reading my lips. Nodding his head he gave me a reply over the intercom.

 

“Tell her a story. At least she’s calm when I tell her stories. Something nice, nothing scary. I made that mistake a couple of months ago and she freaked out when I started telling her Little Red Riding Hood.”

 

I sat up in bed when I saw Broyles appear in front of the observation window to my room. His face was serious and his lips were set in a tight grim line. He had a file in his hands. Pushing the intercom on the other side of the window I listened to his findings in the file.

 

“Dunham. It appears that the reason you were taken was to test a new kind of flu virus. I’ve got techs and other agents trying to recreate the scene again. As of yet, we are unable to find where you and Bishop were being held. Do you have any idea what those bracelets were being tracked for while you were being held by the CIA?”

 

Shaking my head no I consciously looked down at the myriad of bracelets that adorned my left wrist. How could they have done this to me? Willingly? The bruising on my arms had become much worse than they had previously. None of them hurt, but it just was bothersome. I watched as Broyles sighed nodding his head. This was all I could offer him. I’d never been let out of my room, and there had been a toilet and sink in the back of the room. As embarrassing as it was. I was glad to be out of that place, but now I was yet again isolated. Watching him walk away I knew that things would take time to figure out. Something still didn’t feel right about the situation though, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t me, Peter or the baby. It was this place. This place didn’t feel like Boston General, and strangely, all the rooms were completely white. A pit began to form in my stomach.

 

To Be Continued...


	13. Isolated birth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original.

April 24th, 2012

 

30 days Peter and I have been in isolation. The doctors have managed to get most of the virus out of me. Erica is perfectly healthy despite all she’s been through. I’m dangerously close to going into labor. They say they’ll be able to extract the rest from my body once Erica is born. But that doesn’t mean that she isn’t a carrier. A carrier is worse than being infected. I could feel Peter’s eyes on me as I paced the room. At the corner of my eye I saw him press the intercom button. 

 

“ ‘Livia, you should be resting.”

 

I continued to pace the room in protest to him.

 

“Peter I’m two days past my due date.”

 

His eyes widened and he took a breath.

 

“The point is I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”

 

I blushed slightly and smiled at him. I made my way over to the window that separated us both. Placing my left hand on the glass, I braced myself with my right hand against the window sill when a white hot pain ripped through me. Breathing in through my nose and out my mouth, I looked Peter in the eyes with determination. It wasn’t until I felt water rush from my lower half that everything was starting to settle in. Erica was coming. The doctors didn’t lie to me; they said her birth was going to be difficult. But I was ready to face it with all the strength and determination I had. A slew of doctors and nurses came into the room as if on cue. This was way too perfect. I began to feel very leery of the situation at hand. Something still didn’t feel right about this. Pushing the offending thoughts aside, I knew that Erica had to come first. Taking another breath as a hard contraction hit me; I couldn’t help but let a loud groan slip out. Four nurses helped me back over to the bed and into it. One of the four nurses gave me a smile and a comforting one at that.

 

“You’re doing very well Olivia. Just relax.”

 

I nodded my head and determination filled my eyes and stayed. I wasn’t going to let myself succumb to the pain. I had to be strong. But the more I thought about it, the more my body began to betray me. Looking around at all the doctors and nurses in the room, I didn’t recognize any of them. The most important one was missing from this circle of supportive doctors.

 

“Where’s Doctor Elker? She’s supposed to deliver my daughter.”

 

They all had puzzled looks on their faces. It was as if they didn’t know who I was talking about. Now the pit in my stomach was returning, but I wasn’t sure if it was the pit in my stomach or the uterine contractions I was feeling. I turned my head towards the window; Peter’s face mirrored my worry. His hands were on the glass, and he had tears in his eyes. One of the doctors looked at the nurse holding my hand. 

 

“Let her husband stay with her. Comfort is what she’ll need during this difficult labor.”

 

A couple of nurses let Peter in through a door I hadn’t noticed before that connected our rooms together. He was gingerly wiping the sweat from my forehead. He grabbed for my hand tightly when I let out a blood curdling scream. My mind was focused on Erica, but it also wandered to the male doctors in the room. I was nervous enough as it is without having to bear it all to the males in the room. The sheet covering me was the only thing standing between them and my completely naked body. I’d said I wanted to go with natural, and naked is the way to go when giving birth. At least that was what I’d read in one of my pregnancy books. Doctor Parsons looked at me with a comforting look in his eyes, but his voice sounded strained. 

 

“Olivia, I need you to relax. With your muscles tense, I can’t check the position of the baby.”

 

But I couldn’t relax. I let out another blood curdling scream as a hard contraction nearly knocked me sideways, taking a breath I felt my body relax only slightly. I bit my lip to try and curb the pain. Doctor Parsons put a hand on my knee and again tried a comforting voice.

 

“Please Olivia, if you relax, everything will be easier. Trust me; I’ve delivered over 900 children. You’re 972. But sometimes deliveries can be difficult as I’ve explained to you earlier. Let’s give you a muscle relaxant. I promise you that once we give you that, the pain will be much less. Your strong Olivia, but pain is not something you mess with. We want to make this as painless as possible.”

 

My eyes wandered to a nurse who pushed the plunger in and let the murky white substance of the muscle relaxant fill the IV push in my hand; drain into my veins and into my blood stream. My body began to relax, and I sighed in relief. Peter squeezed my hand in a comforting gesture, but when I didn’t reciprocate he began to worry. Another doctor who wasn’t assisting Doctor Parsons came over and grabbed for my hand, I didn’t even feel it. 

 

“Olivia, can you squeeze my hand for me?”

 

I tried to comply with what he was telling me, but my body wouldn’t obey me. I could move my eyes and I could speak. 

 

“I can’t. It’s like my muscles are completely paralyzed. I don’t know why I’m able to speak though. I’m not feeling contractions anymore, but I’m sure there still present.”

 

The doctor who asked me to squeeze his hand went over towards Doctor Parsons and looked at him seriously.

 

“Trust me Michael, there are uterine contractions present. They’ve somewhat slowed though. Olivia I need to get another look at how your baby is doing. Alright?” 

 

I only blinked my eyes at him and cast my eyes towards the ceiling. At the corner of my eye I could see Doctor Parsons shaking his head. He became increasingly frustrated, but continued to try and do his job. Suddenly, pain shot up my back like a bolt of lightning. Instead of screaming, I let out a cry of pain. Doctor Parsons stopped what he was doing and looked me in the eyes.

 

“You can feel what I’m doing?”

 

I only looked at him. Pulling the sheet back over my legs he got up and went on the other side of me. 

 

“Yes. Can we try a less painful approach?”

 

Doctor Parsons nodded his head and gave me a comforting smile. I could feel again, but my contractions weren’t being felt. This began to worry me. I felt a couple of nurse’s help Doctor Parsons roll me over onto my side. I felt a cold draft on my back. I shivered when I felt cold metal touch my insides. 

 

“This is going to feel a little uncomfortable, maybe a little strange, but this is less painful on your side to check for dilation. Just relax and take it easy.”

 

I concentrated my attention on Peter, who placed a soft kiss to my lips.

 

“You’re doing so good sweetheart. Erica’s coming soon. Just a little longer.”

 

He smiled as he looked over the side of me. When he looked back into my eyes, they were twinkling with tears of joy. 

 

“I can see her head. She’s coming out. Just give them a few more great big pushes and she’ll be here with us. You’re doing so good. Just keep going.”

 

There was so much pressure that I was feeling, it was strange. One of the nurses looked over the side of me and smiled. 

 

“You’re doing a great job Olivia. The head is almost out. Just relax. You’re going to feel a little tugging for just a minute.”

 

I bit the pillow to silence a cry of pain. I felt like someone was tearing me in two. Peter pulled me a little closer to him and let me cry into his chest. Through my muffled cries I heard his voice loud and clear.

 

“She’s almost out sweetheart! Keep going! Keep going!”

 

I couldn’t ignore the pressure anymore, and before I knew what was even happening, a single shrill and strong little cry filled with screams filled the air in the room. I let out a long sob and Peter let me go so that I could see Erica for the first time. Doctor Parsons held Erica over my side so that I could see her. I could move my arms, but just slightly. She flailed in the seemingly cold air. A nurse cut the umbilical cord and Doctor Parsons whisked Erica out of the room. I began to panic. 

 

“Where are they taking her?”

 

Two of the nurses had sympathy in their eyes, but I didn’t believe them for one minute.

 

“It’s alright Olivia; this is for your own good. We’re going to help you sleep now. You’ve had a very rough delivery.”

 

It was Peter’s turn to get angry. I did my best to push myself up from the bed, getting my legs over the side of the bed; I kept the sheet around my body. 

 

“All of you answer me right now! Where did you just take our baby?”

 

I’d made it halfway to the door when I fell on my knees, the pain becoming unbearable again. I was feeling sleepy, and the nurses had helped me back into bed. But before I lost consciousness, I heard one of the nurses address Peter.

 

“Its for her own good Mr. Bishop. She’s hysterical. Your daughter isn’t yours anymore. She belongs to us. You have no rights to see her or hold her. The two of you are too much of a risk to let go. You two are also an excellent case study, you Mr. Bishop being perfect because you are immune to the virus, and Olivia, well; she’s both a carrier and has the virus itself. You two were given a powerful hallucinogen and you were only imagining you were free. We didn’t let you two get very far past the front doors.”

 

The world became dark, and now things were falling apart. We were still stuck in this awful underground world, and I had yet to find the worst thing imaginable in this place. 

 

To Be Continued...


	14. Negligence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own an original one.

April 28th, 2012

 

I’d been feeling pretty bad for the past couple of days. The doctors had set up a portable bed for Peter to sleep on here in my room. I’ve been unable to move for the past four days. Peter sat on top of the covers stroking my hair and every once in awhile brushing away my stray tears. With a kiss to my forehead he voiced his thoughts. 

 

“We’ll get her back sweetheart.”

 

I nodded my head and let out a groan. 

 

“Peter don’t you find it odd that the doctors just left right after they took Erica?”

 

Peter put 2 and 2 together. And his face paled.

 

“Oh my god, the afterbirth. You probably have an infection. You’ll have to deliver that before you get blood poisoning.”

 

I was feeling worse and worse as the minutes passed by. Almost everything I’d needed when I was having Erica was in the room. These doctors were sloppy, and left me in this filth. Towels soaked in my blood still lie in a pile on the floor. A plastic crib lie in the corner empty, where my Erica should be. I pulled back the sheet covering me and bit my lip. The pain only increased as the afterbirth came out. Peter’s face screwed up in disgust, but he surprised me by what he did next. I watched as he got up from the bed and went to the container of gloves and found his size. Quickly snapping them on, he nearly ran back towards me. My emotions still running on high I began to cry. The last thing I wanted to do was scoot down to the edge of the bed into the blood soaked half of the sheet. Peter put a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes.

 

“It’s alright sweetheart I’ll just have you lie on your side like Doctor Parsons did.”

 

Nodding my head I painfully turned onto my side. Staring into Peter’s room I winced.

 

“Ow.”

 

I saw Peter’s face pop over the side of me, concern written all over it.

 

“I’m sorry ‘Livia does that hurt?”

 

I bit my lip harder and shook my head in denial. It was just my body’s natural reaction to a natural occurring process. 

 

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. Every muscle in my body is screaming at me right now. Hurt and sore are two things that come hand in hand. I don’t have a very high pain threshold. I felt like my bones were being rearranged. There is only so far bones can withstand pressure before they snap. I was definitely at my limit and maybe a little beyond with my pelvic bone.”

 

I heard Peter almost gag behind me. Turning my head, I could see that the afterbirth was very black. It smelled terrible. I covered my nose and mouth and tried to ignore its   
putridity. If this was what rot smells like, I never wanted to smell it again! The pressure finally left me, and I could relax, I saw Peter walk to the other side of the room with a smelly bucket. This was absolutely disgusting! They’d purposely left me like this, to see how I could react. Peter shook his head and came back over to me. 

 

“We’ve got to get you out of this room. How about we move you over to my bed. It’s pretty comfortable, and its clean. I promise there are no blood stains on it. You still don’t look so good sweetheart. You ok?”

 

My mind kept wandering to the single thing I didn’t have. Erica. All the pain I’d endured giving birth to her was for nil I guess. I was startled out of my thoughts when Doctor Parsons and two nurses accompanied him into the room. His demeanor had completely changed and I didn’t like it one bit.

 

“Ah I see you’ve finally delivered the afterbirth. Bravo. I must say, I thought it would take two extra days for your body to react to it still being inside of you after all. We’ve just come to check on you and do a little house keeping. You’ll have new sheets and be taken to a showering facility to get cleaned up. I’ll have these two lovely ladies give you a sponge bath. Moving for you right now especially since recently giving birth is not the best option right now.”

 

With Doctor Parsons last sentence, he turned on his heel and started towards the door. I sneered at him and gave him a brave answer.

 

“Where’s my daughter? Where’s Erica? Tell me right now where she is!”

 

Doctor Parsons ignored my pleas and went out of my room shutting the door. Another nurse came into the room with a wheelchair. I wouldn’t go without Peter. He was the only person that was keeping me sane. Determination in my eyes, I let the nurses help me sit down in the wheelchair. I gave Peter a long sideways glance, and as I was wheeled to the hallway, I found myself in front of a nurse’s station. A nurse picked up the phone and spoke into it.

 

“Boston General. No, you’ll have to send some over to county. We only have three free beds. Yes. A pregnant woman in a bad traffic accident? She won’t make it to County. Send her here. I’ll have Doctor Elker look her over.”

 

I kept looking around me. I must have time jumped again. Or I went to another universe all together. No one seemed to notice I was there; and they went about their busy chaotic existence. I could barely move, but it was uncomfortable to do so... 

 

“Excuse me, could somebody tell me where I can find my daughter?” 

 

No one spoke to me, and no one heard me. I blinked twice and swallowed hard when I saw myself being wheeled in on a stretcher. Peter was holding my hands. I was in a great deal of pain. I called out to Peter, hoping that he’d hear me. 

 

“Peter! I’m right here! Can you see me?”

 

Peter only walked right through me, as if I were a ghost. If I wasn’t dead, then where was I? I then flashed into an emergency room, where a few nurses were popping my hip back into place. Peter was pushing the hair out of my eyes and speaking to me.

 

“...It’s alright ‘Livia. She’ll be ok...”

 

I was an emotional wreck. I could see myself crying. Watching myself was almost unbearable. Seeing myself finger the black and white ultrasound machine made me realize what was at stake. 

 

“...Emily...”

 

At the same time I knew that I had to save my own daughter. I now knew that this was a different universe. It wasn’t my own. I knew that there were different paths that we chose in life, and this was just another version of me that got into a terrible accident. Worse than the one I’d been in back in 2009. 

 

“...Erica...”

 

Things were getting stranger and I was tired of these time slips... Universe hopping was also starting to get very irritating.

 

To Be Continued...


	15. Time slips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own one original one.

April 30th, 2012

 

I wasn’t sure how to handle all these time slips. I now found myself in the showering facility with four nurses getting a sponge bath. I was embarrassed and self-conscious when I saw at the corner of my eye Doctor Parsons was standing around the corner. I gave him a disgusted look and spoke up.

 

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

 

I quickly covered my body with my arms, not wanting Doctor Parsons to see me like this. I sneered at him as he walked out of the room. Sighing, I let the four nurses towel me off and dress me in some dry clothes before helping me back into the wheelchair. I was very offended at the thought of Doctor Parsons watching my every move I made. As I was wheeled out of the showering facility, I could hear faint crying. I’d know Erica’s cries anywhere. My natural instincts and gut was telling me to run, run anywhere. But my mind also was telling me to find the source of where the crying was coming from. As quickly as I could, I bolted from the wheelchair I’d been sitting in and followed the source of the cries. They seemed to get louder as I rounded a corner into a corridor with strange symbols and writing on it. Looking around, I got the sense of déjà vu. I’d been here before. Finding a very large door, I entered a pass code. Now why would I know a pass code to a door I’d never seen before? Just as I was opening up the door after entering the pass code, everything before my eyes flashed and I found myself at my desk in the FBI building in Boston. Then I flashed to the hallway, seemingly walking towards Broyles office. My feet were swelling, my ankles were crying at me to stop walking and I waddled like a duck. Now where am I? Or should I say when? Everyone was regarding me with such kindness. The papers in the file folder in my hand found themselves in a messy pile on the floor when an agent scurried past me and knocked me over. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t see you!”

 

I could barely see my feet over my bowling ball of a stomach. Big and round, it was almost too perfect looking. Three female agents were there almost instantly, two helping me up while the other one picked up the restricted file with all confidential documents placing them neatly inside the navy folder with the glaring red ‘FBI use only’ stamp on the front. 

 

“Olivia? Are you alright? Here, sit down in the chair.”

 

I let the two female agents whom I’d never seen before help me into a nearby chair while the other set the navy folder on the desk. One came back with a cup of water from the water cooler in the corner.

 

“Here’s some water. Having conjoined twins is no easy feat.”

 

My face paled at her last sentence. Conjoined twins? My eyes wandered down to the bowling ball that was my stomach as I felt two sets of distinct tiny feet make themselves known to me. I shook my head and took a breath as the familiar lightheadedness and feeling as if I’d left my body and an energy pulling me every which way and then I was in a hospital bed, labor pains shooting up and down my body. I began to panic. Peter gripped my hand tightly and gave me encouraging words. Though he clearly hadn’t been there when the woman at headquarters told me I was having conjoined twins. 

 

“You’re doing great sweetheart. Relax.”

 

I shook my head no and tried to silence a scream. The contraction subsiding, I quickly swiped the tears forming at the corners of my eyes. I let go of Peter’s hand and placed both onto my stomach. 

 

“You don’t understand. I can’t have conjoined twins. I just can’t.”

 

Peter looked at me confused. Doctor Elker walked in just then. Her eyes lit up and she had a kind smile. 

 

“Are we ready to have these babies Olivia?”

 

I gave Doctor Elker a teary-eyed looked and began to cry again.

 

“No. I can’t have conjoined twins, I just can’t.”

 

Now it was Doctor Elker’s turn to be confused. She signaled for a nurse to come towards my iv in my hand. She pushed the plunger on the syringe and let the relaxant course through my veins. I felt myself being ripped from the bed, everything whizzing by me so fast it made my head start to spin. I was now back in the hallway and the door with the key-code now open. A lone cry came from the darkened room. This strangely shaped room, I’d call it almost oval, had odd looking lights shaped like cobras and they emitted a soft red glow that made my blood run cold just looking at it. In the center of the room was a tiny baby. Upon closer inspection I noticed it was Erica. Ignoring the pain my insides were telling me about, I walked to the center of the room. The pain was excruciating and I could almost feel my insides starting to tear. Not caring, I reached into the single basinet in the room, but only to find that my hands and arms went through a holographic image. Erica was nothing but particles and light! If she wasn’t here, then where was she? I could not bring myself to face the situation at first, and thinking maybe this was all just a bad dream. That I’d wake up next to Peter and we’d share a normal birth of our daughter together in a normal hospital, surrounded by caring and considerate doctors. Not neglectful and inconsiderate ones. Staring up into the never ending black ceiling, I yelled up into it, hoping that by some miracle, one of the employees of this terrible place would hear me.

 

“Where have you taken my daughter? She needs her mother!”

 

Taking breaths, I knew I had to keep a clear head if I was going to stay ahead of their games. They were just doing this to mess with my head. For all I know, I could be hallucinating all of this and am in isolation at Boston General still, awaiting the birth of my first born. I just couldn’t give into their ever changing tactics. They weren’t going to bend my will. My will was made of steel. Nothing and no one was going to bend or break me. Pressing on, I made my way towards the crying that now sounded into the hallway. The corridor with the strange symbols and markings seemed to go on forever. The crying seemed to get louder, but I was suddenly thrown back by an invisible force. Momentarily knocking me senseless, I could do nothing but battle a wave of dizziness that flooded my head. Pushing through the haze of dizziness I managed to get myself to my feet, grasping at the railings on the wall. I heard an intercom go off, and loud clapping noises sounded across it. 

 

“Very good Olivia. It seems our tactics are working. Take away what is most dear to you and fear and anger replace it. You do know that none of this is real don’t you? It’s just an illusion. You daughter however, is in a safe and secure place, somewhere you can’t get into unless you know the 10 pass key code.”

 

The intercom shorted out and I was left in pitch black. I hated the dark. Moreso than when I was a child. I had to conquer my fear though. It would do me no good to be afraid of the darkness other than to give into my childhood fears. Determination written on my face and planted deeply into my soul, I pushed myself onto my feet and continued on this dark path feeling along the walls for the railings attached to them. I wasn’t prepared to give in. Not now, not ever. Being in the dark was like finding out you’ve just lost your eyes sight and have your other four senses to rely on to help you through things. It’s almost like when your first born you rely on your mother’s voice and your sense of touch because the eyes aren’t able to open yet. My body was engulfed in dizziness and flashes of light and I found myself sitting in a rocking chair in a nursery rocking a green eyed baby to sleep. 

 

“Is she finally asleep?”

 

Peter’s voice resonated throughout the room softly. I noticed how sore I was as I leaned down and over the side of the crib and set the sleepy green eyed baby girl in her crib.

 

“Yeah. This is her first time in her new bed; do you think she’ll like it? I hadn’t realized how sore I still am.”

 

Peter pulled me into his arms and began kissing the back of my neck. I savored how delicious this moment was. I didn’t want him to let me go, because I knew that at any moment I was going to be ripped away from this scenario and back to where I was previously or another time. I tensed in Peter’s arms and then turned to face him. His kind eyes always made me feel safe.

 

“What is it sweetheart?”

 

I wrapped his arms around me and kept them around my waist. I wasn’t going to let him let go of me. My eyes wandered to the thin long scar that went down the baby’s chest. Flicking my eyes up to Peter, they held a questioning glance. 

 

“What happened to her?”

 

Peter only gave me a look of ‘What in the world are you talking about?’ Smiling he gave me an answer.

 

“Sierra just had her surgery three days ago. Don’t you remember sweetheart?”

 

Shaking my head no I searched for the right answer in his beautiful pools that were his green eyes. They held such warmth in them; I thought I’d get lost in them forever. It dawned on me that this timeline paralleled with the one of me at headquarters dropping the file on the floor and agents helping me into a chair, while one grabbed me a glass of water. 

 

“Logan’s a year old and he sleeps in a crib in our room. He was the smaller one of the two. They were conjoined twins and were recently separated.”

 

I’d pieced together all this information on one timeline that was glued to this one. My heart broke at the thought of having conjoined twins. But this was one of the many roads that I could go down. Only a possibility. Peter pulled out his phone and played a video for me. 

 

“This was the day Sierra and Logan were born. They were born linked at the chest, but each had their own separate organs. Their doctors were amazed that they both didn’t share one heart. It’s been a rough year for us, but now that they’ve had their surgery, they can finally be individuals. They’re both healthy, and believe me, I’m very grateful for that. They both have my hair, but your eyes and smile. We created two wonderful miracles.”

 

As I made sure Sierra was asleep, I quickly and quietly left the door to her room open just slightly and made my way towards our bedroom. Walking in and towards the crib, I saw the tiny baby that was my son Logan and picked him up. His arms flailing and his cries were obviously of hunger. I looked to Peter and then back to Logan, he didn’t look a year old. 

 

“Here. Doctor Elker suggested that we bottle feed him.”

 

I began to protest when I saw that Logan hadn’t any teeth in his mouth yet. 

 

“Peter, I’m still lactating and he’s got no teeth yet. I don’t see the harm in letting him breastfeed. Besides, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t mind some time to bond with his mother.”

 

Peter had a large protest on his lips that he wanted to carry out, but he only got half of it out.

 

“That’s why Doctor Elker recommended that you use the breast pump. She said it wouldn’t diminish the nutrients in the milk...”

 

I gave Peter a quick look of knowing, one that only a mother would give to someone if they knew what was best for their baby. Glancing down, I watched as Logan found my nipple and began to suckle. I ran my index finger over his soft dark brown hair, he only cooed as he ate.

 

“It’s alright sweetie, take your time. Mommy’s in no hurry, have as much milk as you’d like. Mommy isn’t running out of it any time soon.”

 

Just as I was savoring this moment of tranquility with a baby I barely knew nuzzled against me for food and comfort, I was whisked away by the blinding sparkling blue light into a million particles of light and energy and soon I found myself back in the room where I’d been left to rot in filthy and unsanitary conditions. There were no windows in the room, and I knew that Peter and I had to be hundreds of feet underground. Apparently they had him locked in his room so that he wouldn’t be allowed into my room. The bed I was in was the only thing that was clean. Everything else was just unsanitary. A nurse and Doctor Parsons came into the room. Crossing my arms, I remained defiant. 

 

“I’m going to ask you for the one millionth time, where have you taken my baby?”

 

Doctor Parsons sneered at me, as if insolence were going to get him somewhere. Accompanying him into the room was Eliot Michaels. I was really getting tired of him coming into a room any time he pleased. Then he said something surprising.

 

“Doctor Parsons, I think we should allow Olivia here to be reunited with her daughter. After all, the child is too small to be without her mother. What can it hurt to let the child be nurtured by her mother? We’ll have plenty of time to do more tests on her at a later date. Bring her in.”

 

My face lit up as a nurse placed Erica into my arms. I inspected every inch of her, looking for holes, needle pricks, bruises, anything I could find. Erica was much too small to open her eyes yet, so she had to rely on sound and touch. She whimpered a little as I shifted her in my arms. 

 

“It’s ok sweetie. Mama is right here. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I won’t anyone take you away again. Sounds like someone’s getting a little hungry.”

 

Holding a death glare against the group in front of me, they quickly dispersed except Mr. Michaels. I held my stare as my thoughts wandered to ugly words. Perverted pig. Who does he think he is anyways? 

 

“Oh I’m sorry. By all means go ahead. I just want to observe how she reacts to you, and how she bonds you know. That kind of thing.”

 

I made daggers with my eyes. No way in hell was he looking at me like that! I wouldn’t let him. Mr. Michael’s flinched as Peter threw a chair at his window. It shook, but didn’t break. Mr. Michael’s threw his hands up in mock submissiveness and quietly left the room. So I did the only thing I could do. I balanced Erica in my right arm while I reached into the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed for a blanket to place over me. I was glad to be alone now; I wanted to nurse my child in peace. It was five minutes of happy cooing and suckling noises coming from Erica and then a shrill cry rang from her lungs. I looked under the blanket and a look of shock settled on my face when I found black blood oozing from her mouth a nose. I covered myself up and threw the blanket on the floor. Peter was picking the lock on his door and managed to get in. He took the crying Erica from me and held her up to the window with the one way mirror on the other side.

 

“You see what you’ve done to my daughter! You make her better! How could you do this to a child!”

 

Erica had the virus in her all along. It must have been dormant. Or these disgusting people intentionally gave it to her after they took her away from me. My nose was bleeding now too. What have they done to us? 

 

To Be Continued...


	16. Unbearable evience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own few original ones.

May 8th, 2012

 

By now, I hadn’t seen Erica in 8 days. Post-partum depression was in full swing, and Peter was locked in a room far away from me now. My eyes kept wandering to the empty basinet in the corner of the room. I held my tears in; there was no time for them now. I had to get out of this place. I’d been watching people for days coming in and out of this room. I’d memorized the code, and tried the door. Amazingly it worked. It surprised me since they’d changed the code more than a handful of times, to keep me locked in here. With a little ingenuity, and hope I’d managed to hide tiny pieces of metal I’d stripped from one of the panelings on the door frame. I’d hid them in an inconspicuous place where Doctor Parsons or the nurses wouldn’t see them. Taped to the bottom of the bed frame with gauze tape. I’d made myself a homemade lock picker. In case any of the codes that I tried on the other doors didn’t work. The hallway was strangely dark, but it was lit just enough to see. The lighting was spaced out, with tiny track lights. Every inch I walked, was still agony, but I pressed forward. It wasn’t until I got to the end of the hallway that I was standing in front of a very large metal door. It was different from all the others with the ‘simple’ keypads with the codes to them. This one had rusted brass rivets all the way around it, and some sort of strange keyhole to it. I stuck my ingenious tool into the strange looking keyhole, and low and behold, it opened for me. It was pitch black in the room, and there was a disgusting and very pungent odor coming from it. I’d swiped a flashlight from one of the nurse’s pockets. Turning it on, I immediately had to turn away from the sight of a large pile of rotting bodies that nearly filled the room. Standing just outside the doorway now, I emptied what little contents I had in my stomach. The images of the rotting bodies were now permanently burned into my memory. I held my breath as heavy footsteps sounded down the hallway. With each passing minute, they were growing louder. I had nowhere else to turn except back to the horrifying room with the decomposing bodies. Quickly scurrying back into the room, I closed the door, trying my best to quell the bile coming up from my stomach. I heard a man’s voice behind it, calm but concerned. 

 

“Why is this door unlocked?”

 

Hearing a lock click shut, I held my breath. Turning my flashlight on and nearly blinding myself with it, I saw nothing but spots for a couple of minutes as my eyes adjusted to the brightness of it. Shining the light towards where the lock should’ve been on the door, I found none. All that was there was something that resembled a keyhole that was once there, but it’d been filled in. Trying my best not to panic, I stood up, shining the light around me to try and find another way out of this nightmare. When my mind finally came to the conclusion that there might not be a way out of this mess, something tells me to shine the flashlight over towards the growing mountain of bodies in front of me. I could now see the top of a door frame. Could lead to a way out of here Dunham... I tore some fabric from the bottom of my thin hospital gown and fashioned a kind of mask to cover my nose and mouth from the fowl stench in front of me. I almost wanted to hold my breath as I climbed the tower of bodies. I froze and began to panic when a hand reached out and grabbed for my ankle. Then a strangled/suffocated voice sounded from beneath the pile.

 

“Help... Please...”

 

The hand let go of my ankle so I could climb down the fowl smelling pile. Pulling on the hand, I realized a woman was attached to it. Her face was smudged with dirt and blood. Helping her to her feet and letting her regain her bearings, I shined the flashlight towards her. 

 

“...Those doctors were drugging us... Me and my baby... I think they gave us some sort of flu virus. I keep having nose bleeds, and my blood is black...”

 

I looked the brown haired woman in the eyes. She gave me a watery smile.

 

“We have the same symptoms. I’m guessing this is where they dump the bodies when they are done ‘testing’ on them. Olivia Dunham, FBI. What’s your name?”

 

The brown-eyed woman’s eyes widened in shock at my title. 

 

“Jessica Sanders. You work for the FBI?”

 

Nodding my head, I shined my flashlight once more in the direction of the door frame. I didn’t want to have to dig my way through the disgusting pile of bodies just to see what was behind it, but we might have to. 

 

“Yes. These people are holding my daughter somewhere in this facility. She’s barely a month old... They took her away right after she was born... Who are these people?”

 

Jessica looked at me with a scared face and shrugged her shoulders. I shined my flashlight around one more time, and to my amazement, I found another door, this time, no bodies were blocking it. Pulling on Jessica’s hand I led her towards the door. We didn’t get but a few steps from the doorway when we had to stop. 

 

“Agent Dunham, I need to stop. My feet...”

 

I stopped and shined the flashlight towards Jessica. 

 

“Your feet are swollen Jessica. Here, have my shoes. We’re about the same size. My feet were just as swollen before I had my daughter Erica. This door isn’t the same as the others.”

 

The door we were now standing in front of as Jessica slipped on my shoes had four keypads on it, one above the other. Going for the first keypad I tried the numbers 98743. When a red light showed that it didn’t work I reversed the numbers to 94387, the light turning green I quickly went to the next keypad. Typing the numbers in reverse order from the one’s above I managed to get another green light. The last two keypads I switched the coordinating numbers and all the light’s turned green emanating a clicking sound from the other side of the door. Pushing it open carefully I shined the light in front of me. It resembled the dark granite cave-like hallway Peter and I had tried to escape in a month previously. Stepping over the threshold of the door, I looked in Jessica’s general direction.

 

“Jessica, I want you to keep your back against the wall. I was in a tunnel like this a month ago. The reason why I’m asking you to keep your back against the wall is because I nearly fell all the way down a hole in another tunnel. If you need to stop and rest, just let me know ok?”

 

At least this time I had a flashlight instead of just fumbling around in the dark without one. My hand suddenly hit something hard. It wasn’t rock; it was solid metal, like some sort of door. Shining the light on it, I found that the door looked ancient, but it could lead to a way out of here. It was hard to see what kind of lock because it was obscured by another piece of metal blocking the front of it. Taking my homemade lock picker, I made an attempt at picking it. This would prove difficult even in the best of circumstances because it seems the piece of metal blocking the lock was fused to it. What I needed was a blow torch to get this thing open! Flashlight in mouth, I proceeded to find even the tiniest of holes in the fused piece of metal to pry it open. 

 

“Found a hole Jessica! If I can just pry this open, we can get out. You hanging in there?”

 

It was hard to talk with the flashlight in my mouth, so I took it out and pointed it in her direction. She was bracing herself up against the wall. 

 

“I... I dunno know. I’m not sure but I think I’m having contractions.”

 

Now was not the time to panic. I had to get that door open and fast! Running a hand through my hair, I nodded my head at Jessica, determined to get the two of us out of this place. 

 

“It’s ok. I’m right here. Just try and breathe through them. When are you due?”

 

I was nervous asking that last question, only because the last thing I needed right now was a premature baby being born in this place. With as much strength as I could muster up, I managed to pry the metal off that was blocking the key hole over the door. Her eyes held a fear I wasn’t willing to accept in them, one that sent an icy chill down my spine like a cold rain drop during a rainstorm. We were now in a starched white hallway, the same hallway from my dreams. I could hear a woman screaming down the hallway. The distance between us was hard to determine. The closer I got, the louder the screams became. But unlike the dream, there was no blood on my hands. By now Jessica has grabbed for my hand and gripping it tightly. I round another corner and find myself in front of a window staring at myself! Jessica looked up from the floor and straight into my gaze in the window. 

 

“Is that your twin sister?”

 

I looked back at Jessica momentarily then back at myself seemingly in more pain than I could ever imagine going through with Erica. 

 

“No I don’t have a twin. I think they’re cloning me.”

 

The word clone stuck in my mouth like a nasty aftertaste from a greasy pork sandwich. The more I thought about it, the more it made my stomach churn. She nearly sputtered as a strong contraction nearly knocked her senseless.

 

“What the hell do you mean by ‘cloning’ you? Do you think that means they’ve been cloning all of us? Just so they can poke and prod at us to their hearts content to see which of us survives this new strain of flu virus? But how are they factoring these babies in? That’s a piece of the puzzle we haven’t solved yet.”

 

I mentally nodded my head as I continued to stare at myself through the observation window in front of me. She looked up at me with desperation written on her face. The doctor’s tending to her had just turned their backs as she held her baby up in the air. I could hear her speaking over the loud speaker in the cold white hallway. 

 

“Please, take my son. He’ll be safe once he’s away from this place. After all, you are me.”

 

We looked the same; our hair was the same color, even our eyes... But the eyebrow shape was slightly off. It was as if the process hadn’t been completed at the time of her birth. Before I could give her my response, though I knew that she wouldn’t hear me through the thick glass, one of the many doctors plucked the little boy from her arms and whisked him out of the room. The boy showing his discontent at being taken away from his mother, his cries rang all the way down the hallway. Another doctor came out into the hallway and grabbed for me. Two sets of doctors came out into the hallway, one set grabbing for Jessica and dragging her down the hallway opposite this one. 

 

“Jessica! Whatever you do, don’t let them force labor on you! You can’t let them do that to you! They tried it with me, but I fought it every step of the way! They’ll kill you! Fight back!”

 

I didn’t see Jessica as they took her down the other hallway. I stayed in front of the window, seeing what would happen next. Two more doctors came into the room where my ‘clone’ was and dragged her from the bed. Then my mind wandered back to all those people that’d been dumped into that locked room just feet from my own room. Was she going to be disposed of there because she simply ‘wasn’t needed’ anymore? I felt an instant connection to my ‘clone’, but the doctors were already dragging her down the hallway and two more held me back so that I could not go after her. One half of me told me to just leave things the way they are and that there was nothing I could do, but that half of me was silenced by the half that said to go after her and break this place apart. Not only did I need to find her and get her out of here, but I had to find Peter and Erica.   
To Be Continued...


End file.
